Categories
2026 AWARDS PROGRAM
Project & Design Excellence
1. Empire Award for Excellence in Single-Family Design – Over 3,000 SF
Recognizes excellence in the design and construction of a large-scale single-family home. Judges will consider architectural quality, craftsmanship, livability, innovation, and how effectively the home integrates function, aesthetics, and site conditions.
2. Empire Award for Excellence in Single-Family Design – Under 3,000 SF
Honors a thoughtfully designed and efficiently built single-family home. Emphasis is placed on space planning, construction quality, energy performance, and overall value.
3. Empire Award for Excellence in Small-Scale Housing (Tiny Home / ADU)
Recognizes innovation and efficiency in small-scale housing. Judges will evaluate creative use of space, design quality, sustainability, and how well the project addresses housing needs.
4. Empire Award for Excellence in Residential Remodeling – Under 1,000 SF
Awards excellence in a smaller-scale renovation that delivers meaningful improvements. Consideration will be given to problem-solving, design creativity, craftsmanship, and functionality.
5. Empire Award for Excellence in Residential Remodeling – Over 1,000 SF
Honors a significant renovation or addition that transforms an existing home. Judges will assess project complexity, integration with the original structure, construction quality, and overall impact.
6. Empire Award for Affordable Housing Excellence
Recognizes projects that deliver high-quality housing while meeting affordability requirements (minimum 20% affordable). Judges will evaluate design, cost efficiency, durability, and community impact.
7. Empire Award for Sustainable/Green Building
Recognizes excellence in sustainable design and construction across any structure—new build, renovation, or adaptive reuse—embracing a broad, all-of-the-above approach to green building, energy efficiency, resilience, innovation, and environmental stewardship.
8. Empire Award for Multi-Family Housing Excellence
Awards excellence in multi-family residential development. Judges will consider unit design, amenities, durability, energy performance, and contribution to local housing supply.
9. Empire Award for Community Development Excellence
Honors a thoughtfully planned new residential community or project. Judges will evaluate land-use planning, unit design, infrastructure, amenities, and the project's contribution to neighborhood character.
Leadership & Industry Awards
10. Empire Industry Professional of the Year
Recognizes an associate member or industry professional who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, service, and commitment to New York’s homebuilding and development industry. This award honors individuals whose expertise, collaboration, and support have meaningfully advanced industry standards and helped builders succeed, including through advocacy, guidance, education, regulatory assistance, collaboration, or technical expertise
11. Empire Housing Champion Award*
Recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and advocacy in support of housing supply, affordability, and sensible housing policy in New York State. *An elected official or a municipal employee can be nominated for this award.
12. Empire Emerging Leader Award
This award honors an emerging leader (40 or under) in New York’s residential construction industry who demonstrates strong professional growth, leadership potential, and a commitment to advancing the homebuilding industry through vision and dedication. Nominations should highlight recent achievements, leadership qualities, career goals, and industry involvement that reflect the nominee’s potential to shape the future of housing.
13. Empire Residential Builder / Developer of the Year
Honors a builder or developer demonstrating excellence in residential or mixed-use construction, innovation, leadership, and contributions to housing production.
