CaGBC Awards

Celebrating green building leadership and excellence

Nominations for the 2022 CAGBC Awards are now open. The CAGBC Awards is a national competition that recognizes members who have contributed to the advancement of green building in Canada.

The Awards are presented annually at Building Lasting Change, Canada’s premier green building industry event. Click here to explore past winners.

Recognizing projects, people, and organizations

CAGBC Awards recognize and celebrate our members for their contributions to the transformation of Canada’s built environment. The Awards are grouped by category:

Green Building Excellence categories showcase Canada’s most efficient, effective, and impactful buildings.

Green Building Leadership categories recognize the commitment, vision, and creativity driving the individuals and teams behind the success of Canada’s green building industry.

The Andy Kesteloo Memorial Student Project Award is a singular award recognizing an inspiring student project that demonstrates leadership, innovation, and a creative vision for the future of sustainable green building and community design.

Nominations are open until February 24, 2022.

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Award Categories

Browse the award categories below and select the one right for you. Nominations are submitted through an online application platform.

Green Building Excellence

Zero Carbon Design

The Zero Carbon Design Award is presented to the team responsible for a new building that demonstrates climate leadership through innovative carbon reduction strategies and optimal building performance. Construction must have reached completion between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. The evaluation considers operational carbon reduction measures; efforts to reduce the building’s embodied carbon; energy efficiency; grid-friendly design measures, and innovation.

Deep Carbon Retrofit

The Deep Carbon Retrofit Award is presented to the team responsible for a deep carbon retrofit that demonstrates climate leadership through innovative carbon reduction strategies and optimal building performance. Eligible projects must have reached completion between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. A deep retrofit includes extensive alterations including work on the building envelope and/or the core and peripheral MEP (mechanical – electrical – plumbing). The evaluation will consider operational carbon reduction measures; efforts to reduce the embodied carbon of the retrofit; energy efficiency; grid-friendly design measures, and innovation.

New Construction (Commercial or Institutional)

The New Construction Award is presented to the team responsible for a new commercial or institutional building that demonstrates optimal environmental sustainability and occupant health and wellness. Canadian new construction projects registered for, or certified by, a recognized green building standard or rating system are eligible. This award focuses on the design stage and the choices made to achieve environmental sustainability goals as well as improve occupant health and wellness. Construction completion must have been reached between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. The evaluation will consider GHG and energy-reduction features; occupant health and wellness; water conservation measures; material selection; site selection and development; and innovation.

Existing Building Operations

The Existing Building Operations Award is presented to the team responsible for a commercial or institutional building that demonstrates continuous improvement in building operation, performance, and occupant satisfaction. Canadian existing building projects registered for, or certified by, a recognized green building standard or rating system are eligible. The project should demonstrate a commitment to sustainability with good practices in several key areas. The evaluation will consider GHG and energy reduction features; occupant health and wellness; water conservation measures; commitment to sustainability; and occupant awareness and engagement.

Inspiring Home

The Inspiring Home Award is presented to the team responsible for outstanding achievement in a Canadian residential project. This award is for high-performing, sustainable single-family homes, duplexes, townhomes, or multi-family buildings. The winning project provides a healthy living environment, contributes to the betterment of the surrounding community, demonstrates a commitment to sustainability, and addresses social equity issues such as affordability and accessibility. This award is open to newly constructed residential projects completed between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. Canadian new construction projects registered for, or certified by, a recognized green building standard or rating system are eligible. The evaluation will consider GHG and energy reduction; occupant health and wellness; water conservation; material selection; and overall commitment to sustainability.

Tenant Improvement

The Tenant Improvement Award is presented to the team responsible for an outstanding interior space fit-out that embraces the philosophy that high-performing green spaces can: create healthy, productive places to work; have a reduced environmental footprint; and cost less to operate and maintain. The winning project also must provide an overall positive impact on occupant wellness. Eligible projects must have been completed between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. The evaluation will consider GHG and energy GHG reduction features; occupant health and wellness; water conservation measures; material selection; and innovation.

Leadership Awards

Green Building Champion (Individual)

The Green Building Champion Award recognizes a deserving individual for exceptional achievement in initiatives that advocate for CaGBC's core interests, programs, and priorities. Initiatives may include work related to commercial enterprise, public interest programs, policies, education, or advocacy that further advance sustainability in Canada. Applicants must clearly display exceptional achievement in advocating for sustainable green buildings within their area of expertise.

Green Building Pioneer (Organization)

The Green Building Pioneer Award recognizes an organization with an innovative approach to advancing green building technology, products, capacity building, policy, design, or operations. As a result, the industry, their competitors, customers, and employees are pushed towards continuous improvement, helping CaGBC achieve its mission. Nominees will be known for innovative work and for inspiring the industry. Evaluations will consider vision and innovation; success factors; commitment to sustainability; and impact on industry, employees, competitors, and customers.

Emerging Green Leader (Individual)

The Emerging Green Leader Award recognizes a deserving student or young professional who has made a significant contribution to advocating for, educating, or practicing green building and/or community development. This individual is recognized as a leader among their peers with a strong commitment to green building, the environment, and making positive change. Evaluations will consider demonstrated peer leadership; potential for leadership; and commitment to sustainability. This award is presented to an individual who is either an individual member of CaGBC or an employee of a corporate member company, and either a full-time student or 30 years of age or younger.

Inspired Educator (Individual or Organization)

The Inspired Educator Award recognizes a deserving institution (represented by a faculty and/or staff member) at a post-secondary academic institution for educating learners in sustainable design, green building, operations, and/or real estate development. The recipient fosters passion and success in their students and demonstrates a desire to better educate the next generation of green building professionals. Teams, departments, organizations, or individuals may apply on behalf of the institution. Evaluations will consider how the academic institution successfully delivered sustainable design, green building, green operations, or green real estate education; and, how the post-secondary incorporated the ever-evolving green building industry into their curriculum.

Government Leadership (Individual or Organization)

The Government Leadership Award recognizes a deserving individual, team, department, or organization that has developed policies and/or programs to advance green building in Canada. The recipient has shown leadership in the public sector to effect change, improve performance, and advance sustainable building practices, such as the adoption of green building standards or the implementation of an innovative and sustainable infrastructure project. Applicants must clearly demonstrate how the office or department adopted a policy for greening buildings; explain any green building policies or programs developed; and/or show how they demonstrated leadership by setting ambitious green building goals for other departments or governments to follow.

Ed Lim Technical Expertise Volunteer (Individual)

The Ed Lim Technical Expertise Volunteer Award is presented to an individual who has generously dedicated considerable time and expertise in an advisory capacity to advance green building in Canada. The recipient is highly regarded as a subject matter expert, serving as a member of one (or more) of the Council’s volunteer committees. Their contributions to the planning, review, and execution of industry-specific initiatives, positively influences the productivity and effectiveness of the committee. Committees may include the Technical Advisory Groups, Steering Committees, and Building Lasting Change Program Committee. Evaluations will consider degree of expertise; demonstrated commitment and reliability; commitment to sustainability; influence on committee; and contributions to success.

Andy Kesteloo Memorial Project Award

The Students Leading Sustainability: Andy Kesteloo Memorial Project Award is presented in memory of Andy Kesteloo, a visionary green building advocate who shared his commitment for a sustainable earth with humour, insight and passion. The objective of the Award is to recognize a student project that demonstrates leadership, innovation, and a creative vision for the future of sustainable design in the field of green building and communities. Click here for the unique nomination criteria and timeline for the 2022 Students Leading Sustainability Award.

Award criteria

Nominees:

are either companies with a Green Building Catalyst, Specialist or Advocate membership or a CAGBC individual member;
have made a significant contribution to the CaGBC vision and mission;
have demonstrated success in advancing green building and/or sustainable communities, policies and practices in Canada;
exemplify leadership and commitment to sustainability and actively advocate for and/or are involved in improving current practices and approaches;
are not current members of the CaGBC Board of Directors and/or have not been on the Board after January 1, 2020; *
are not current paid staff member at CaGBC and/or have not been a paid staff member after January 1, 2020;
can be repeat applicants but not award recipients from previous years. *

*This stipulation pertains to past winners of the Green Building Champion, Emerging Green Leader, Inspired Educator, Government Leadership, Ed Lim Technical Expertise Volunteer, and Andy Kesteloo Memorial Project Awards.

Recognition

CAGBC Award winners are recognized for their achievements nationally:

News Release: Winners are announced via a news release distributed to CaGBC’s growing network of close to 25,000 recipients. Winners are encouraged to share the news as well.

In-person award presentations: Dependant on Covid-19 restrictions on public events and gatherings, recognition events may be held. Further information will be announced.

Leadership Award recipients: All Leadership category winners will be featured in a special series of in-depth Q&A interviews facilitated by the Leadership Award sponsor. These interviews will be shared to the CaGBC’s extensive distribution list of approximately 25,000 industry professionals. The schedule for this special series of activities will be posted in August, 2022.

Green Building Excellence Award recipients: All Green Building Excellence winners will have the opportunity to host a virtual Lunch and Learn webinar, facilitated by the award sponsor. These webcasts will be promoted to the CaGBC’s growing distribution list of approximately 25,000 industry professionals. The schedule for this special series of events will be posted in August, 2022.

The trophy: Winners will receive a beautiful trophy (one per award). For virtual presentations, the trophy will be shipped in advance. If an in-person ceremony is possible, the trophy will be presented at the event.