The Energy Award recognizes exceptional performance in energy efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy. Submissions must demonstrate measurable greenhouse gas emissions reductions, innovative clean energy integration (solar, storage, geothermal), or whole-building electrification strategies. Nominations should highlight verified performance metrics, operational optimizations, or third-party certifications (e.g., LEED, ENERGY STAR, Zero Carbon, Passive House).

The Water Award honors high-performance achievements in water conservation, reuse, stormwater management, and related operational energy reductions. Submissions should emphasize cutting-edge design and operational strategies, such as blackwater/greywater recycling, net-zero water systems, and advanced green infrastructure. Nominations should highlight verified consumption metrics or relevant sustainability certifications (e.g., LEED Water Efficiency, Living Building Challenge Water Petal).

The Transportation Award highlights excellence in low-carbon mobility, EV infrastructure deployment, active transit, and smart transportation demand management. Submissions should showcase innovative physical design and operational programs, such as fleet electrification, shared mobility hubs, or transit subsidies, that yield measurable reductions in commuter emissions. Nominations should highlight alignment with or certifications from high-performance standards (e.g., LEED Location & Transportation).

The Embodied Carbon Award recognizes projects that significantly reduce the carbon impacts associated with building materials and construction. Submissions should demonstrate strategies such as adaptive reuse, material salvage and reuse, low-carbon material selection, whole-building life-cycle assessment, design optimization, or other innovative approaches to reducing embodied carbon. Nominations should highlight measurable or documented carbon reductions while demonstrating how embodied carbon strategies complement broader improvements in building energy, water, and/or transportation performance.

The Building Retrofit Award recognizes outstanding improvements to existing buildings that advance energy, water, and/or transportation performance while extending the useful life of the building. Submissions should demonstrate substantial performance improvements through strategies such as electrification, building envelope upgrades, high-efficiency systems, water conservation, renewable energy, or other comprehensive retrofits. Nominations should highlight measurable performance improvements, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, or other outcomes that demonstrate the value of reinvestment and decarbonization in existing buildings.

The Tenant Improvement Award recognizes exemplary tenant improvement projects that integrate high-performance, low-carbon, and resource-efficient strategies within leased or occupied spaces. Submissions should demonstrate approaches such as efficient lighting and HVAC systems, electrification, low-carbon materials, water conservation, waste reduction, or strategies that encourage sustainable transportation and occupant behavior. Nominations should highlight measurable performance improvements, innovative design or operational strategies, and the role tenants can play in advancing whole-building sustainability goals.

The Leadership Vision Award is for individuals or organizations demonstrating outstanding leadership, collaboration, and long-term commitment to advancing the 2030 Districts mission, including impact across energy, water, and transportation performance.

All nominations and finalist submissions will be evaluated by an independent panel of reviewers to ensure a fair and transparent process. Reviewers will use a standardized scoring rubric to assess alignment with the 2030 Districts mission, measurable impact, and innovation. Finalists will be selected based on these evaluations, and winners will be determined in advance of the Vision Awards event, where they will be announced live.