THE BUILDING PERFORMANCE AWARDS CATEGORIES

Please click on the award you are interested in to see full entry requirements. Please read carefully as criteria have been updated for this year's awards to make it more straightforward for you to enter.

The Awards are now closed for entries.

• New Build Project of the Year sponsored by Amtech
  
• Refurbishment Project Award sponsored by Vaillant
• Building Operation Award sponsored by Gratte Brothers
• Client Energy Management Award sponsored by Lochinvar
  
• Client of the Year sponsored by Imtech
  
• Building Services Consultancy of the Year sponsored by Baxi Commercial Division
• Contractor of the Year in association with the HVCA and sponsored by Elta Fans
  
• Collaborative Working Award sponsored by Cool-Therm
• Energy-using Product Award sponsored by FlaktWoods
• Passive (energy related) Product of the Year sponsored by CIBSE Journal
• Commissioning Project of the Year in association with the CSA and sponsored by CMR

• Training for Building Performance Award sponsored by SummitSkills
  
• Low Carbon Consultant of the Year sponsored by Spirotech

• Carbon Champion of the Year sponsored by Remeha (not open for entry)
  

New Build Project of the Year

This Award is open to teams and will be presented to the building that most effectively combines construction materials with low carbon and renewable technologies to improve building performance and reduce carbon emissions throughout the life of the building. At the same time, the building must deliver the high levels of comfort and performance (such as lighting levels) required by occupants.

Eligibility

Entries should be for projects completed during the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2011. Entries may be submitted by any or all members (together) of the project team.

Judging Criteria

Entries should provide evidence of the actual, measured performance of the building, describe the low carbon design features, and indicate the anticipated payback period on capital costs.
Indications of performance could include metered consumption of both energy and water. Evidence produced by a mechanism used to encourage and record occupant feedback and satisfaction with the building and its comfort levels should be used to support entries.
Entries could include:

• Synopsis of the project and its building performance and low carbon objectives
• Special challenges, objectives or constraints and their design solutions
• Specific elements of excellence and innovation in  terms of design, equipment or application
• The low carbon design features of the project, including energy metering, monitoring and targeting
• (Green) Procurement, use of recycled/recyclable materials
• Evidence of actual performance
• Additional costs of specific low carbon measures and anticipated payback periods
• Any BREEAM or LEED assessment
• Description of the commissioning and handover process and how it contributed to achieving the building performance intended by the designers 

Refurbishment Project Award

This Award is open to teams and will be presented to the project that most effectively demonstrates outstanding design and construction to deliver an energy efficient building with improved building performance and reduced carbon emissions throughout its life. At the same time, the building must deliver the high levels of comfort and performance (such as lighting levels) required by occupants.

Eligibility

Entries should be for projects completed for the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2011. Entries may be submitted by any or all members (together) of the project team.

 
Judging Criteria

Entries should provide evidence of the actual performance of the building compared where possible with performance before refurbishment. They should also describe the low carbon design features, and indicate the anticipated payback period on capital costs.

Indications of performance could include metered consumption of both energy and water. Evidence produced by a mechanism used to encourage and record occupant feedback and satisfaction with the building and its comfort levels should be used to support entries.

Entries could include:

• Synopsis of the project and its building performance objectives
• Special challenges, objectives or constraints and their design solutions
• Specific elements of excellence or innovation in the design, equipment or application
• Low carbon project features such as energy metering, monitoring and targeting
• Evidence of actual performance and energy demand before and after refurbishment
• (Green) Procurement, use of recycled/recyclable materials
• Details of consequential improvements included in the project
• Additional costs of specific low carbon measures and anticipated payback periods
• Any BREEAM or LEED assessment
• Description of the commissioning and handover process and how it contributed to achieving the building performance intended by the designers   

Building Operation Award

This Award recognises the achievements of the building operator who delivers outstanding building performance from an individual building, a campus, or a building portfolio. This will include delivering the comfort levels and working conditions required by the users or occupants, and demonstrating substantially reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions without compromising overall user satisfaction.

Eligibility

Entries should be for projects completed during the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010 (thus having a full year of operational performance data).

Judging Criteria

The judges will look for entries which are accompanied by thorough evidence of measured building performance over at least a year of operation, such as:

• Details of the building and its performance requirements
• Evidence of actual performance based on measured energy consumption
• Evidence of user feedback on the building and satisfaction
• Specific energy management measures taken to improve the building performance
• A copy of the DEC, Advisory Report and Technical Table, and details of measures from the report implemented. The DEC may be a statutory or voluntary DEC.
• Any special challenges or problems and how they are overcome

Client Energy Management Award

This Award recognises the achievements of the building owner or occupier that most effectively makes best use of the energy it uses. It will be awarded to the organisation which has demonstrated the most effective initiative or strategy for managing energy use and making most efficient use of the energy it does consume.,

The Award is open to client organisations which manage the buildings they occupy or work in, whether or not they own them. Entries from SMEs are particularly encouraged.

Eligibility
Entries should be for the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011. The Judges will be particularly interested in completed entries which are accompanied by evidence of measured energy performance over at least a year of operation.

Judging Criteria

The Judges will look for clear evidence of actual energy performance, and the scale of the initiative relative to the organisation. Evidence should address the following:

• Brief details of the initiative or strategy for managing energy use
• Evidence of actual measured energy performance, including a DEC
• Evidence of the measures taken to reduce energy use, whether they are technical or involve changing staff or user behaviour by training, education and motivational activities
• User feedback on the building
• Sustainability and environmental policies (please attach copies)

Managing building performance is important to all organisations: to employees, investors and other stakeholders, and to the local community and environment. Building managers have to deliver comfortable working conditions to satisfy users and substantially reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions without compromising overall user satisfaction. The Client of the Year Award recognises outstanding client led initiatives to improve the performance of existing buildings, as well as delivering high class performance in new or refurbished buildings. It will be awarded to the client who, in the judges’ view, has done the most to facilitate an outstanding project during the year.

The Award is open to all client organisations, and entries from SMEs are particularly encouraged.

Eligibility
Entries should be for the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011. The Judges will be particularly interested in entries which provide evidence of measured performance of the project, ideally over at least a year of operation. 

Judging Criteria

The Judges will look for clear evidence of such attributes as:

• Brief details of the project
• Actual measured performance and energy management strategy
• User feedback on the building and its comfort levels
• A current DEC, Advisory Report and Technical Table
• Specific action taken to reduce energy use
• Sustainability and environmental policies (please attach copies)

Building Services Consultancy of the Year

This Award will be presented to the Consultancy that demonstrates best overall performance in designing and delivering aspirational and sustainable buildings. The consultancy will be engaged in the design of projects where aesthetics, comfort, sustainability and commitment to client satisfaction are combined to produce buildings that please and satisfy users from handover and throughout the life of the building. The consultancy will work successfully as an integral, key part of the team that delivers new and/or refurbished buildings that operate to the highest standards of low carbon building performance.

The firm’s projects will be excellent in terms of engineering as well as being energy efficient, sustainable in construction and operation, and the consultancy will operate in such a way as to support these objectives through its processes, training and development, and adoption of new technologies and ways of working.

Eligibility

Entries are for the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011.

Judging Criteria

The judges will be looking for evidence of ‘best practice’ as well as commitment to achieving ever-improving building performance and reducing low carbon impacts:

• Investment in the recruitment, training and development of staff
• Processes to ensure the acquisition, development and transfer of knowledge and experience within the consultancy.
• Use of new technology and applications; innovative building techniques or processes
• Environmental specification/purchasing policy
• Low carbon and building performance accreditations
• Encouraging clients to commit to exceed minimum standards for their projects
• Evidence of client and occupant satisfaction with completed projects
• Examples of applying the advice that you provide to clients within your own business

Entries are for the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011.

The judges will look for evidence of the quality of the people, processes and buildings for which the contractor is responsible. They will seek examples of projects which are energy efficient and sustainable in construction and operation, and contractors who operate and develop processes and training and development staff to support these objectives,  which may include:

• Evidence* of the quality and effective operational performance of completed projects
• Evidence of environmental purchasing policies, planning for end of life recycling
• Examples of advice, support and training provided for clients or building users in the effective operation and management of their building services, including BMS or controls systems.
• Examples of effective handover procedures
• Evidence of company sustainability and environmental procurement policies

* Evidence may include certification, membership of/participation in Considerate Constructors Scheme, client and/or user testimonials, metered energy data from completed projects in operation, commissioning reports, log books, company policies.

The value of Collaborative working and integrated teams has been demonstrated on many outstanding projects. With the launch of the government construction strategy there is now a clear focus in public sector procurement on driving out waste, meeting or beating cost benchmarks and delivering sustainable, low carbon buildings. Collaborative working and integrated processes such as Building Information Modelling will be in increasing demand to achieve the targets set out in the strategy.

Eligibility
Entries for this new Award should be for projects completed during the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2011. The judges will be particularly interested in completed entries which are accompanied by evidence of measured performance over at least a year of operation.

Judging Criteria

The judges will look for clear evidence of at least the following:

• Early appointment, involvement and contributions from the full team
• Collaborative and effective team working practices: common processes such as shared IT and project documents, as well as effective communications within the team
• Active specialist contributions to successful project delivery
• Selection and procurement of equipment by whole life value, not just price
• Long-term relationships between the client and the supply chain
• Delivery of the project(s) on time and budget, meeting the client’s aspirations Evidence of actual operating costs against predictions, and of overall life-cycle costs of the building

The Product of the Year Awards seek to recognise outstanding new and/or innovative Products that will make significant contributions to improving building performance.

Energy-using Products are classified as: building services products that use delivered energy themselves (however efficiently in themselves or in comparison to previous products of the same type) in order, for example, to deliver heating, ventilation, cooling or lighting.

Eligibility

Entries should be for Products introduced or launched between 1July 2010 to 30 June 2011.

Judging Criteria

The Judges will consider any product that improves building performance and saves energy and carbon, and will be looking for evidence of:

• Research, testing, development
• Innovation in design, technology and/or application
• Improvement over existing products in terms of performance, energy or resource (e.g. water) efficiency and carbon saving
• Mitigation of the environmental impact of production
• Use of recycled materials and recyclability of the product
• Performance in operation as well as factory or laboratory test results
• Evidence of how the product reduces carbon emissions
• Clear product technical information for specifiers, designers, installers and operators
• Operation and maintenance information

The Product of the Year Awards seek to identify outstanding new and/or innovative Products that will make significant contributions to improving building performance.

Passive (energy related) Products are classified as: building services products that do NOT directly use delivered energy though they may generate their own energy. Examples include: solar and photovoltaic products, facade systems, natural ventilation, heat recovery, insulation, windows, day lighting devices (e.g. sun pipes), controls and control systems.

Eligibility

Entries should be for Products introduced or launched for the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011. Entries may be submitted by manufacturers or any other member of the supply chain, including consultants, contractors, clients and facilities managers.

Judging Criteria

The Judges will consider any product that improves building performance and saves energy and carbon, and will be looking for evidence of:

• Research, testing, development
• Innovation in design, technology and/or application
• Improvement over existing products in terms of performance, energy or resource (e.g. water) efficiency and carbon saving
• Mitigation of the environmental impact of production
• Use of recycled materials and recyclability of the product
• Performance in operation as well as factory or laboratory test results
• Evidence of how the product reduces carbon emissions
• Clear product technical information for specifiers, designers, installers and operators
• Operation and maintenance information

It is well recognised that a thorough, systematic commissioning process is very important in ensuring that a new or renovated building operates efficiently and to the original performance specification from when it is first occupied and in use. Moreover, Building Regulations recognise the importance of commissioning and require it for all projects, whilst CIBSE Commissioning Code M is the recognised guidance on meeting the requirement.

This Award will be presented to the organisation or project team that can best demonstrate the process that they undertook in commissioning a building, and the resulting benefits to the performance of the building, to the client, and to the users.

Eligibility

Entries should be for projects commissioned during the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011.
Entries may be submitted by any member of the overall project or commissioning team, including clients.

Judging Criteria

The judges will be looking for evidence of ‘best practice’ as well as commitment to achieving ever-improving building performance and reducing low carbon impacts, including:

• The commissioning management plan and the process by which it was implemented
• Systems used to ensure a thorough, effective good practice commissioning process
• Seasonal commissioning to cover full load conditions (mid-winter, mid-summer), as well as high and low occupancy
• Contribution to achieving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions
• Re-commissioning of systems following work to serve revised loads
• O&M Manuals and Building Logbooks for efficient, ongoing building management
• Active involvement by all relevant members of the project team

Training for Building Performance Award

This Award will be presented to the organisation that can demonstrate how a training initiative, innovation or programme has had a significant effect upon staff skills and development, resulting in a positive impact on the performance of buildings through design, construction, commissioning or operation.

Eligibility

Entries should be for Training Activity undertaken during the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011.  Entries can be for UK based or overseas projects.

Judging Criteria

Entries should demonstrate how their training improves the understanding and development of staff in the achievement of better building performance.

The Judges will be looking for entries which demonstrate clear objectives and outcomes, and which show how the organisation has used training and development to further the use and to apply low carbon and sustainable technologies in their business.

Your submission for this Award should include evidence of:

• The nature of the initiative and how it leads to better building performance
• Any special challenges or constraints experienced in the development of the initiative and how they were overcome.
• Examples of training materials used.
• The successful application of the initiative and its impacts (actual or intended)
• How the initiative met or exceeded the original objectives

This award recognises an outstanding contribution to low carbon performance.

Please note that this category cannot be entered for via this site as the award is only open to CIBSE Low Carbon Consultants. The winner will be selected based on the Carbon Returns Forms submitted by CIBSE Low Carbon Consultants. Carbon Returns should be sent to CIBSE by 8 October 2011. For more information please see www.cibse.org.

Carbon Champion of the Year (overall winner)

This award will be presented to the individual, team or organisation (consultancy, contractor, or client) that, in the opinion of the Judges, has made the most outstanding contribution and commitment to achieving improved building performance combined with significant, measurable reduction of energy consumption and carbon emissions.

In achieving this, the winner will have demonstrated both leadership and commitment at all levels, including through training and development, the use of new technology and processes, and the application of best practice.

Eligibility

It is not possible to directly enter this Award. The Judges will assess and consider individual, team and organisation (consultancy, contractor or client) Finalists from all appropriate categories of the CIBSE Building Performance Awards 2012, and their decision will be announced at the Awards Presentation Dinner.