Introduction By submitting an application or nomination for the Empire Building Awards Presented by Pella (the “Awards”), each entrant, nominee, and applicant (“Entrant”) agrees to be bound by these Terms & Conditions, the Awards submission guidelines, category criteria, and all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Failure to comply may result in disqualification.
Organizer The Awards are organized and administered by the New York State Builders Association (“NYSBA”) (“Organizer”). All decisions by NYSBA regarding interpretation, administration, eligibility, judging, and awards are final and binding, and no correspondence will be entered into.
Eligibility
General Eligibility Except as expressly noted below, the Awards are open exclusively to members of NYSBA in good standing at the time of submission. Eligibility requirements may vary by award category and will be specified in the applicable category descriptions and Awards information.
Empire Housing Champion Award Exception The Empire Housing Champion Award is open to the nomination of elected officials or municipal employees, regardless of NYSBA membership status, in recognition of exceptional contributions to advancing housing policy, affordability, and development in New York State.
Legal Compliance All Entrants and nominees must comply with these Terms & Conditions and all applicable laws and regulations. NYSBA reserves the right to verify eligibility at any time.
Submission Method All entries must be submitted through the official Empire Building Awards submission platform by the published deadline. Late, incomplete, or non‑conforming entries may be disqualified.
Required Materials Entries must include all information, documentation, and supporting materials specified for the applicable award category.
Warranties By submitting an entry, Entrants warrant that all information provided is true, accurate, and complete; that submitted materials are original; and that the entry does not infringe upon any intellectual property, privacy, or other rights of any third party.
Proof of Submission Proof of submission does not constitute proof of receipt. NYSBA is not responsible for technical failures, transmission errors, or submissions that are lost, delayed, corrupted, or misdirected.
Judging and Selection
Judging Panel Eligible entries will be evaluated by an independent panel of judges selected by NYSBA. Judges’ decisions regarding eligibility, interpretation of criteria, and award determinations are final and binding.
Selection Criteria Award recipients will be selected at the sole discretion of the judging panel based on the published category criteria and any additional guidance provided in the Awards materials.
Ties and Substitutions In the event of a tie or if a selected recipient becomes ineligible or unavailable, NYSBA reserves the right to make a final determination or select an alternate recipient at its discretion.
Award Recipients
Announcement Award recipients will be announced at the Empire Building Awards Ceremony to be held on March 26, 2026, during the kickoff luncheon of the LIBI Trade Expo at the Hilton in Huntington, Long Island, or as otherwise determined by NYSBA.
Conditions of Recognition Receipt of an award and any related recognition is contingent upon full compliance with these Terms & Conditions and submission requirements.
Publicity and Use of Entries
License Grant By submitting an entry, each Entrant grants NYSBA and its sponsors, including Pella, a non‑exclusive, royalty‑free, worldwide, perpetual license to use, reproduce, publish, display, adapt, and distribute the Entrant’s name, company name, submitted materials, images, and associated content for the purposes of administering, promoting, marketing, and publicizing the Awards in any media now known or later developed.
No Additional Compensation Entrants acknowledge that no additional compensation or approval is required for such use, to the extent permitted by law.
Third-Party Consents Entrants represent and warrant that they have obtained all necessary rights, licenses, permissions, and releases from any third parties whose property, likeness, or copyrighted materials are included in a submission, including but not limited to property owners, photographers, designers, or other rights holders. Entrants agree to provide written proof of such consents upon request. NYSBA and its sponsors shall have no responsibility for obtaining any such third-party permissions.
Privacy Personal information collected in connection with the Awards will be used to administer the Awards and for promotional and communications purposes consistent with NYSBA’s privacy policy. By participating, Entrants consent to such use and acknowledge that information may be publicly disclosed in connection with Awards publicity.
Disqualification NYSBA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any entry or Entrant found to be in violation of these Terms & Conditions, to have provided false or misleading information, or to have engaged in conduct that compromises or may compromise the integrity, fairness, or reputation of the Awards.
Modification, Suspension, or Termination NYSBA reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the Awards, any category, submission requirements, deadlines, judging procedures, or these Terms & Conditions at any time for legal, administrative, technical, or other reasons.
Limitation of Liability To the maximum extent permitted by law, NYSBA, Pella, and their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives, agents, and affiliates shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to participation in the Awards, submission of entries, judging, or acceptance, use, or misuse of any award or recognition. Nothing in these Terms & Conditions limits liability that cannot be excluded under applicable New York law.
Governing Law These Terms & Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of law principles.
