COTE® Top Ten Award 2025

Celebrating Sustainable Design Excellence

The COTE® Top Ten Award 2025, now in its 29th year, highlights the importance of sustainability as a cornerstone of architectural excellence. Organized by the Committee on the Environment (COTE®), this award recognizes innovative projects that seamlessly combine outstanding environmental performance with exceptional design.

Eligibility

Entrants

• Open to any U.S.-licensed architect.
• Team projects must credit the architect as a significant contributor, though not necessarily the team leader.
• Submitting firms must sign the AIA 2030 Commitment.

Projects

• Includes new buildings, renovations, restorations, interior architecture, and urban/regional plans.
• Open to projects located anywhere in the world.
• Projects must be completed at least 12 months before the submission deadline.
• Multiple entries per firm are allowed.

Submissions

Evaluation Criteria
Projects are judged based on the Framework for Design Excellence, which promotes a zero-carbon, equitable, resilient, and healthy built environment. Evaluation emphasizes:

• Design Excellence: Aesthetic quality, sense of place, and integration with community and history.
• Performance: Environmental stewardship, resilience, and sustainability.
• Framework Principles: Integration, Equitable Communities, Ecosystems, Water, Economy, Energy, Wellbeing, Resources, Change, and Discovery.

Fees

• Single project submission: $450.
• Additional award category submission: $100 per category.

Schedule
Visit the AIA Awards FAQ for details on deadlines and application opening dates.

Submission Process
Applications must be completed through the online platform. Download the 2024 AIA COTE® Top Ten Sample Application for a preview of requirements.

Jury

COTE Top Ten Award 2024 Jury Members:

• Nadine Saint-Louis, AIA, Chair, McHarry Associates, Miami.
• Yu-Ngok Lo, FAIA, YNL Architects, Culver City, Calif.
• Jack Rusk, Assoc. AIA, EHDD, San Francisco.
• Eddy Santosa, AIA, Mott MacDonald, Los Angeles.

Winners

2024 Winners Include:

• Alice West Fleet Elementary School – VMDO Architects, Arlington, Va.
• Hayward Library & Community Learning Center – Noll & Tam Architects, Hayward, Calif.
• MASS MoCA Building 6 – Bruner/Cott Architects, North Adams, Mass.
• PAE Living Building – ZGF Architects, Portland, Ore.
• Pacific Landing Affordable Housing – Patrick Tighe Architecture, Santa Monica, Calif.

For a complete list of winners and detailed project information, visit the COTE® Top Ten archive.

Competition Details