Green Good Design Sustainability Awards 2026
Competition Brief
Intent
The Green GOOD DESIGN Sustainability Awards-open floor to professionals, institutions, and individuals to submit design projects that tackle ecological restoration, sustainability, and environmental responsibility. The competition has a wide range of categories such as architecture, urban planning, product design, research, technology, and transportation.
Purpose
With the awards, the intention is to support the designs that save the earth by the method of waste elimination, by the process of greenhouse gas reduction, by the way of fossil fuels consumption minimization, and by the reception of the global environmental issues. The entry must be the proof of energy conservation, pollution control, and sustainable living practices.
Requirements
The eligible submissions can be buildings of any kind, products, programs, research projects, urban planning proposals, and technology concepts made or developed in 2023 or later. A project documentation, photos, and a clear and complete description of the designers, companies, photographers, and the project must be provided by the applicant. All winning submissions will be kept in the permanent collection of The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design.
Jury
The jury is composed of experts working in the area of sustainability. Their names and credentials are kept confidential.
Fees
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Entry fee | 375 euros per project if paid online with card or debit, 400 euros per project if paid by bank transfer |
| Late-submission surcharge | Additional 100 per entry if submitted after deadline |
Rewards
| Prize / Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Recognition | Selected projects are declared Green GOOD DESIGN Award winners |
| Inclusion in permanent collection | Winning entries become property of the museum |
| Exhibition opportunities | Awarded projects may be included in traveling exhibitions |
| Public exposure | Awarded works may receive international visibility through media channels |
Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Closing date for applications | January 15 2026 |
| Announcement of Awards | Spring 2026 |
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design is behind the Green GOOD DESIGN Sustainability Awards and has designated the awards for the whole professional eco-restoration and sustainability community both for works and persons. Even if the contest is structured entirely as an academic and professional one with the jury consisting of distinguished persons, its outcoming is still of low transparency since there are no publicly available names and qualifications of the jury members. The charges are fairly high for submissions, plus the selected works are going to be part of the museum’s permanent collection which is very likely to restrict practically the control of the authors over their rights. Hence, the artists mainly get recognition, exposure, and possibly inclusion in exhibitions, but the awards play more the role of prestige opportunities than direct implementation or career advancement.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Green GOOD DESIGN Awards are providing a venue for the design work that is underlined by ecological restoration and sustainability. The contest is giving clear submission requirements and a defined fee structure. However, the fact that winning works must become part of the museum’s permanent collection brings up the whole issue of intellectual property and control over the future. Not only is the entry fee high but there is also a charge for late submission making the whole process very costly. Jury anonymity is a double-edged sword as it reduces transparency and makes it hard to judge the evaluation standards or the possibility of biases. So, before deciding to participate, applicants should first consider the pros and cons of exposure and recognition against the costs, rights transfer, and that award is merely prestige-oriented rather than a guaranteed opportunity.
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ArchUp Editorial Management
Jury Committee Assessment:
· The existence of a “jury committee of sustainability specialists” has been mentioned.
· The names or qualifications of the members have not been disclosed.
· Severe lack of transparency and weak credibility.
Analysis of the Competition’s Nature:
· Knowledge Value:
· Specialized topic in sustainability and environmental design.
· Related to the fields of architecture, urban planning, and design.
· Clear criteria focused on environmental aspects.
· Commercial Aspects:
· Very high participation fees (€375-€400).
· Additional late fees (€100).
· Transfer of intellectual property rights for winning projects to the museum.
Final Assessment:
· Not suitable for publication on ArchUp for the following reasons:
1. Unusually high participation fees.
2. Transfer of intellectual property rights for winning projects.
3. Lack of transparency in the jury committee.
4. Clear commercial character at the expense of knowledge value.