Sustainable Development Awards

“On behalf of Orange County Government, I am pleased to welcome entries for the 2016 Orange County Sustainable Development Awards Program. Our awards program honors the very best in sustainable design and development projects throughout Orange County. After all, the planning and design of the built environment has a tremendous impact on the health, prosperity, long-term livability and connectedness of our community.

The Sustainable Orange County Plan “Our Home for Life” sets ambitions, goals and targets for promoting a built environment that will improve the quality of life for current and future generations. Such goals include constructed or planned developments that minimize their impacts on the surrounding setting and incorporate longer-term design and maintenance considerations.

Our first annual Sustainable Development Awards will recognize and encourage innovative owners and development teams which design and implement sustainable developments. In highlighting these achievements, Orange County leadership seeks to inspire others to explore and implement sustainable design and development — where residents actively seek to live, work, learn, shop, recreate and raise a family. By extension — the Award Program also honors and encourages sustainably vibrant and attractive developments which will serve the millions of annual visitors to Orange County.”

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES : Friday, November 4, 5 p.m.

Projects may receive one of four Awards: the Mayor’s Award; the Green Award; the Award of Excellence; or the Award of Merit. Staff jurors may recognize as many projects as they see fit in each category.

• Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Community: In exceptional cases, the Mayor’s Award may be given to projects within unincorporated Orange County that demonstrate outstanding qualities of sustainability and contribution to the community.
• Green Award: The Green Award recognizes innovative solutions to environmental challenges. This award honors projects that display environmentally sensitive site planning, sustainable storm water capture, sustainable building practices, and/or energy and water efficient design.
• Award of Excellence: This award is given to projects that exhibit excellence in nearly every aspect of planning and execution. Open to any design category.
• Award of Merit: This award is given to projects that exhibit excellence in many aspects of planning and execution. Open to any design category.