USGBC-LA’s 10th Annual Sustainable Innovation Awards (SIA) offer prestige and affirmation of your project team’s commitment to a sustainable built environment. Unlike standardized rating systems, the Sustainable Innovation Awards evaluate merit-based upon sustainable strategies that demonstrate exemplary performance by going above and beyond credit achievement. The Sustainable Innovation Awards are open to built and un-built projects certified under any sustainability rating system or on track to achieve certification. This year for the first time, all projects will have the opportunity to submit basic performance data using the AIA’s new Common App to provide a fair basis for comparison.

Winning Projects

All winners will receive an award and be recognized during USGBC-LA's 16th Annual Green Gala on December 9th, 2020 as well as have the option to post a short virtual tour or video on the project. Additionally, all winning projects’ team members listed in the application form will receive a 25% discount when buying a ticket to the 16th Annual Green Gala. 

A digital poster for each winning project will be shared on the USGBC-LA’s website for one year and the project team will have the opportunity to write for our blog. Winners will also be announced to the Media from USGBC-LA’s PR and marketing campaigns on social media, newsletters, and Email Blasts

All winners of built projects will be offered the opportunity to host a sustainability tour of their project during 2021 and showcase their project. USGBC-LA will help promote and support logistics. The winners of un-built projects will be invited to participate in a thought leadership panel discussion sometime during 2021 to share their approach to achieving deep green projects.

ELIGIBILITY

• All projects should be located somewhere in Southern California. All project types, commercial, residential, or institutional are welcome.

• Built Projects must have been awarded a sustainable design certification (LEED, SITES, WELL, Living Building Challenge, Passive House, Envision, etc.) between 10/1/2019 and the SIA submission date.

• Un-Built projects must be in Design Development, Construction Documentation, or Under Construction, registered for a sustainable design certification, and demonstrate innovation in one or more of the categories below.

* Important Recommendation: All projects are asked to complete and submit an AIA Common Application excel spreadsheet providing basic sustainable data, which has been chosen for its ease of use and consistent metrics across project submissions.

 

CATEGORIES

1. Built Projects will be considered in the following categories

• New Buildings (Large, Medium or Small)
• Renovation Projects
• Interior Design Projects
• Sites and Landscape
• Planning and Urban Design

2. Un-Built Projects will be considered as a single category. Projects in any of the types above or below will be considered

3. Specialty Sustainable Innovation Strategies in either a Built on Un-Built projects focused on one or more of the following categories:

• Water
• Energy / Operational Carbon
• Embodied Carbon
• Materials
• Social Equity
• Transportation
• Health & Wellbeing
• Waste
• Resilience

4. Project of the Year (Optional) *All submissions including a Project of the Year Statement will be considered for this "Best in Show" category. No additional entry fee is required.

  

* Entry Fees (Reduced Pricing for 2020):

$175 for the first Submission and receive one (1) free ticket to attend the 16th Annual Green Gala on December 9th, 2020.

$125 for all additional submissions, also inclusive of one (1) free ticket to attend the Gala. 

SUBMISSIONS DUE BY MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8th, 2020

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

In an effort to streamline the submission process and reduce paper use, the submission will be entirely electronic. 

 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Each submission should complete the forms listed in the steps below and include the final certification scorecard.

1. Completed Entry Form. Include copyright information - Images may be used for USGBC-LA publications and posts.

2. Completed Project Information in the AIA Common Application (Please download the spreadsheet and fill out with your project information. Once is complete you can upload it to the SIA Entry Form). DO NOT include any firm-identifying information on the Project Form. Please fill out as much information as you can, at least the basic information and please contact us if you need help at fernanda@usgbc-la.org. 

3. Power Point (Uploaded online) 

• Slide # 1 Project Description - Maximum 500 Word Description addressing key sustainable goals and strategies. 
• Maximum 8 additional Slides best illustrating the key sustainability features of the project
• Jpegs (minimum 300 dpi) of the best 3 images that you would like included in the Awards Program if you are a winner.

4. For Built Projects Only - Final Certification Scorecard (PDF Format) 

 

Project Team Members (List all project team members: architect, engineers, sustainability consultant, contractor, owner, etc.)

 

Instructions

Complete this form for every category submitted. Do not include any firm-identifying information in this form.

Guidance

The Sustainable Innovation Awards evaluate merit based upon sustainable strategies that demonstrate exemplary performance by going above and beyond certification achievement.

The jury is evaluating each submission based on the submission form and images. Projects are evaluated in the context of the category in which they are submitted. Historically, projects that have scored well provide thoughtful responses describing the project’s innovative strategies in that category. Specific examples will help the jury in their evaluation.

 

 

ll. Upload your Power Point following the instructions below:

- Slide # 1 Project Description - Maximum 500 Word Description addressing key sustainable goals and strategies.

- Maximum 8 additional Slides best illustrating the key sustainability features of the project

- Jpegs (minimum 300 dpi) of the best 3 images that you would like included in the Awards Program if you are a winner.

* Please download this powerpoint template, complete with your project information and upload it using the button below 

Payment Info:

$175 for the first Submission and receive one (1) free ticket to attend the 16th Annual Green Gala on December 9th, 2020.

$125 for all additional submissions, also inclusive of one (1) free ticket to attend the Gala.

* If you want to pay your submission fee using another payment method please send an email to fernanda@usgbc-la.org 

Please make sure you have completed your form before continuing.

If you have any questions, contact Fernanda Zuin: fernanda@usgbc-la.org

After you click the "Submit" button no more changes or updates will be allowed to this form.