Wood Design Award Categories
Awards in the various wood design categories honour the creators of new projects that push the limits of wood design in structures and demonstrate excellence in the use of wood. Winning projects showcase the diversity and intensity in the use of wood products and systems, as well as wood’s special qualities: strength, durability, beauty, versatility and cost-effectiveness. Credit is given to the complete project team, including the architect(s), engineer(s), contractor(s), client(s) and primary consultants. The award is presented to the architect, engineer or building owner identified on the nomination form.
Residential Wood Design
This category recognizes the extensive use of wood in a single-family residence. Consideration is given to the variety of wood applications and products used throughout the building, both structurally and architecturally.
Multi-Unit Residential Wood Design
The multi-unit residential category includes multi-family and mixed use mid-rise residential buildings. Consideration is given to the effectiveness and variety of wood products and systems used throughout the building — structurally and architecturally – whether hidden or visible.
Environmental Performance
This category recognizes how wood products played a significant role in improving the overall environmental performance of a structure. Projects nominated in the environmental performance category must demonstrate that the use of wood products and systems were integral in achieving a measureable lower environmental impact. Some examples which demonstrate wood’s contribution to a reduced environmental impact include: lower carbon footprint, reduced operational energy use, lower pollution and higher overall performance. Nominees will be able to demonstrate how some or all of these principles have been applied in enhancing the environmental attributes of the building’s design, construction and ultimately, its performance, and meeting or surpassing the owner’s / designer’s environmental aspirations.
Commercial Wood Design
This category recognizes the creators of commercial projects that push the limits of wood design in industrial buildings, offices, stores, malls, lodges, clubhouses and other public spaces. Nominations will be judged on the basis of showcasing wood’s special qualities, such as strength, beauty, versatility, cost effectiveness, or benefits to occupants through the use of wood products.
Interior Beauty Design
This category recognizes the extensive use of BC wood species in the interior design of non-residential and public spaces. Consideration will be given to the nominee that best demonstrates a variety of wood uses and innovative architectural design so as to showcase the elegance and beauty of wood from BC’s vast and renewable forests.
Institutional Wood Design: Small and Large
These categories recognize the benefits of wood in institutional applications while showcasing the special qualities of wood such as strength, durability, beauty, versatility, benefits to occupants and cost-effectiveness. Examples could include: schools, churches, hospitals, long-term care facilities, libraries, recreational facilities and municipal buildings. Two awards are given in this category which is divided by building size, at 15,000 sq.ft., not cost.
Prefabricated Structural Wood
This category recognizes creative design and innovative use of prefabricated wood systems, components and modules in a variety of building types and which exemplify new applications and opportunities for this proven technology. The project design must illustrate the uniqueness and versatility of using wood component systems that have been fabricated in a manufacturing facility and incorporate press-plated connections. Consideration will also be given to other types of connections used. Entrants must describe the systems used and benefits of incorporating those systems.
Western Red Cedar
This category recognizes the beauty of Western red cedar used in an interior or exterior application on any type of project – residential or non-residential. This could include but is not exclusive to timber, siding, trim board, windows, doors, decking and landscape structures such as pergolas, arbours and gazebos. Projects in finished or unfinished Western red cedar (bright or weathered) will be accepted highlighting the richly textured grain of Western red cedar, one of BC’s most beautiful natural products.
Wood Innovation
The wood innovation category will recognize creative, innovative, and replicable approaches in the use of wood in building design, product design and/or processes; and which can significantly increase the opportunities to use wood in either a variety of structure styles or in a very common structure type where wood has not typically been used. The award will be presented to an individual or firm which demonstrates “thinking outside the box” using wood either structurally or architecturally.
International Wood Design
This category recognizes wood building and design excellence in a project that was either designed by a BC designer or used BC/Canadian wood products and was built outside of Canada. Special consideration will be given to a project that demonstrates innovation in wood use or design; a potential for opening a new market; or an expansion of opportunities for BC/Canadian wood products and systems. Other criteria includes using wood in visible applications to reflect cultural values and using wood cost-effectively to achieve greater environmental performance.
Engineer
The Engineer Award will be presented to an individual engineer/or engineering firm for the creation of an innovative structure, that uses new technologies or existing technology in a new way in order to create a wood solution that advances the use of wood in the project, leading the way for future projects in wood.
Architect
The Architect Award will be presented to an individual architect or architectural firm who demonstrate excellence and innovation in wood design. Exemplary candidates present a consistent history in their use of wood as a structural design choice or show a particular project that stands out as a landmark in wood construction.
Wood Champion
The Wood Champion Award recognizes BC individuals or organizations who have been significant advocates and have advanced the use of wood in construction in BC or abroad; or have contributed significantly to the selection of wood in project(s) that demonstrate innovation of design with wood or the use of wood as a sustainable, climate-friendly building product.
