Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits to entering the Elev8 Awards?

  1. Demonstrate your firm’s ability to design and construct complex, innovative and sustainable projects.
  2. Gain exposure to THOUSANDS of commercial/institutional building owners across North America.
  3. Get your work published in BUILDINGS magazine, received by more than 70,000 building owners and facility professionals.
  4. Market your firm and its services to potential clients at minimal cost and time.

What are the entry deadlines?
There are 3 separate deadlines, staggered to help entrants gather the required information.  The deadlines are:

  • Entry form: December 13, 2024 (a short form requesting general information about your project and firm)
  • Entry submission: January 31, 2025 (a longer form requesting project data and photographs)
  • Manufacturers List: February 21, 2025 (a longer form requesting manufacturer info for products used in your project) 

What information is required by the entry forms?

All project data printed in the magazine and online is taken directly from your entry.  View the forms  to see the specific questions, but the following information should be gathered for your entry. (Note: not all of the info below is required by December 13. Most data is needed for the Entry Submission and Manufacturers List.)

  • Firm contact info
  • Design team info
  • Client info
  • Entry category
  • Project cost information (Include building “bricks and mortar” and any permanent, built-in furniture. Do not include design fees and other “soft costs.”)
  • Project square footage information
  • Project description (150-175 words)
  • Project site/space plans (A minimum of one site or space plan is required. Include one plan for each floor or area being judged.)
  • Project photographs (Photos intended for print should be 300 DPI, in TIF, EPS or JPEG format, 8″ x 10″ preferred). There should be one overall exterior image, and at least four additional images of the project. A short description and photographer credit is required for each photo.
  • The national manufacturers whose products were used for the project. (Do not include regional companies.)

What awards are presented?

  • Recognition and Citations. Gold, Silver, and Bronze Citations will be awarded to projects exhibiting exemplary features, with commemorative plaques for both the firm and client. Additional projects exhibiting outstanding designs will also be selected for publication as Outstanding Designs.
  • 1 Winner Per Category. Winners will be chosen for each of the following categories: Commercial, Institutional, Healthcare/Senior Living, Hospitality, Mixed Use, Multifamily, Retail/Showroom, and Civic/Public.
  • 2 Grand Prize Awards.  Two Grand Prize winners will be selected—one in New Construction and one in Historic Renovation/Adaptive Reuse. Winners will receive deluxe commemorative plaques for both the firm and its client.

What is the entry fee?

If your project wins an award, it will automatically be eligible for publication in BUILDINGS magazine’s Elev8 Design Awards Showcase in Q2 2025. A fee is incurred to offset judging expenses and the production, printing and distribution of the magazine. Pay nothing when you enter, and if your project wins, you will receive an invoice based on how many pages you want your project profile to contain:

  • 1-page project profile: $1,990
  • 2-page project profile: $3,750 ($1,875 per page)
  • 3-page project profile: $5,190 ($1,730 per page)
  • 4-page project profile: $6,480 ($1,620 per page)

Who judges my project?
Buildings.com selects its jury carefully to represent a mix of architects. The jury evaluates and selects outstanding projects for publication.

What if I want to change my category or don’t know what category I entered?
E-mail Heather Buzzard (hbuzzard@endeavorb2b.com) to confirm changes to your entry and help you determine the right category.

Who should be listed on the Project Data Sheet as the Design Team?
The design team is typically those individuals in the firm who worked on the project and also can include other companies who were part of the project, such as engineering or design firms and individuals at those companies who should be recognized. This is the place to name individuals or company you would want printed in the magazine as being associated with the project.

Should the Project Description be in narrative form, or can I break it up with bullets?
Past juries have been encouraged to use a mix of narrative descriptions with bullet points to highlight specific aspects of a project that were important.

Can I submit more than 5 photos?
Yes.  However, keep in mind that the jury has limited time to peruse each binder. Additional pages allow you to include more photos in your layout. Contact Heather Buzzard (hbuzzard@endeavorb2b.com) for information about increasing the number of pages for your project.

What if I have a problem uploading my photos?
If you experience problems uploading photos via this form, you may also send electronic photo files via e-mail to hbuzzard@endeavorb2b.com. We also can retrieve photos via Dropbox or your own FTP site. Be sure to identify which project they are for.

What if I need to send more photos or space plans than are allowed for on the online form?
If you have a multi-page layout and more than ten photos – or more than four space plans, you may send electronic files of the additional images via email to hbuzzard@endeavorb2b.com. We also can retrieve photos via Dropbox or your own FTP site. Be sure to identify which project they are for.

What if I made a mistake in the materials I sent online?You will receive a confirmation email with the information that was submitted for your project. If you notice that you have sent something in error or have any questions, please contact Heather Buzzard (hbuzzard@endeavorb2b.com) to make the change.

Can I enter a project that already won an award, or a project that was entered into another award program?
Yes. Projects that have won previous awards are welcome to enter the Elev8 Design Awards.

Does my project need to be completed to be submitted?
Yes. Projects must have been completed within the past 2 years to be eligible.

Does my project have to be designed or built in the U.S.?
No. Projects located outside the U.S. will be considered for the awards.

Can I enter more than one category?
Yes, but it is considered a separate entry.

Which category should I choose? Can you help me choose?
Please choose the most appropriate category for your project that you want the judges to evaluate. If you’re not certain which category to enter, please contact Heather Buzzard (hbuzzard@endeavorb2b.com).

How many winners are there in each category?
The number of winners in each category will depend on the number of entries and the final scoring by the judging panel. The jury will select two Grand Prize winners, one in New Construction and one in Historic Renovation/Adaptive Reuse. The jury will also award Gold, Silver and Bronze Citations to additional projects exhibiting exemplary features. Projects that exhibit exceptional designs or qualities also will be recognized and selected for publication as Outstanding Designs.

Do I have to be an architect to enter?
No. Project team members from architecture and interior design firms or PR agencies representing architectural firms may enter.

Do you accept 3D rendering instead of photographs?
Renderings of projects may be submitted in addition to finished photography, but not in lieu of photographs of the space.

How do I know if you received my submission?
Confirmation emails will be sent for each entry to the awards program.

Do entrants receive feedback from judges or see their rating and comments about our entry?
Select judges’ comments will be published in the Q2 issue of BUILDINGS magazine where appropriate.

How will winners be notified?
We will contact winners via email. 

Is there a downloadable PDF for the Call For Entries?
Yes, you can download it here: Elev8 Awards 2024 – Call For Entries

 

Enter The Awards