The RICS Awards showcase the most inspirational regional initiatives and developments in land, property, construction and the environment. The Awards are open to everyone working within the property profession and celebrate the talents of surveyors, property developers engineers, planners and architects, to name just a few.

There are four categories to enter, each demonstrating how property professionals use their skills to develop, regenerate and conserve the environment in which they live and work. The top projects in each category will automatically be selected for the Project of the Year Award.

The deadline for submissions is January 20th. To enter a project please download the leaflet from this page.

Building Conservation
This award showcases outstanding work in conservation of a single building or a group of buildings or structures and covers renovation or conservation to a new or original use.
The judges will look for:
• What was the philosophy behind the repair and conservation?
• How much of the original material remains in the building, and what methods have been adopted to re-use original material?
• What traditional materials and/or techniques were used?
• What are the major conservation achievements?
• Were there any difficulties and how did you overcome them?
• What research was carried out and how did it affect your decisions?
• How were environmental considerations incorporated into the scheme?
• How has future maintenance been provided for?
• Who is  the occupier and how is it used?
• How have users and the local community received it?
• What are the building's long term prospects?
• What are the important architectural features of the property and how have they been conserved?
• How has any future use impacted on the character of the building?

Community Benefit
This award recognises outstanding achievements in providing a facility which directly benefits the local community.  The project must illustrate its success through local community feedback.  Projects may be single or groups of buildings in urban, rural, or coastal areas.  They may be new or improvements to existing facilities.
The judges will consider:
• What was the level of community involvement?
• What community initiatives or special projects are linked to the scheme?
• Does the project enhance the local landscape/streetscape?
• Was best practice used in design and construction?
• How is responsible use encouraged?
• Has public access been improved or increased?
• Who uses the scheme and what is their reaction?
• How do you rate its long term prospects?

Regeneration
This award showcases exceptional improvements to urban, rural, or coastal areas.  Judges will look for a scheme that has conserved or improved the built or natural environment in a way that has contributed to the viability of the area.
The Judges will consider:
• The background/history or the site - why the need for regeneration?
• Is the scheme part of a wider regeneration policy in the area?
• What particular problems have been overcome?
• Did it involve handling contaminated land?
• Who uses or occupies the area?
• How have they received the scheme?
• Was the local community involved in the development and what was their reaction?
• Has the scheme acted as a catalyst for other improvements in the area?
• What are the area's long term prospects?

Design and Innovation

This is a new category for the 2012 RICS Awards, and aims to recognise the use of outstanding design and innovation in creating a sucessful project.  The judges will look for evidence that use of creative and innovative design has enhanced a project across a wide range of criteria.
The judges will consider:
• Have specific design elements and innovations made a positive contribution to the overall project?
• Has the design and innovation enhanced the location and role of the development in the surrounding area?
• Is there any evidence that the design has increased the end user's satisfaction with the development?
• How do you rate the long-term prospects of the project?
• Has the scheme acted as a catalyst for further economic activity in the area?
• How well has the scheme been received amongst users and the local community?
• How have innovative technology and construction methods been used to enhance the project?

Project of the Year

All shortlisted projects will go forward for the Project of the Year award.  This ultimate accolade is awarded to the project that is judged to have excelled in any, or a combination of all the main categories, and is considered to be the most remarkable entry on the shortlist. 
Whilst the design, visual appearance, size and cost of the project are important, they are not the determining factors in awarding the Project of the Year.  The judges will also consider:
• Concept, purpose, use and most importantly the project's perceived impact on the end users in both the medium and long term
• Economic viability and value for money
• How the scheme was funded and who was behind the project
• Flexibility and adaptability of the design
• How the project has performed since completion.

The judges will also be looking for commitment to sustainability including:
• Efficient use of resources: use of recycled construction materials and monitoring systems, setting of performance targets, use of energy efficient construction procedures and 'green' measures to solve waste and transport needs
• Location and accessibility; how the building contributes to the needs of the area: flood, drainage, erosion and biodiversity management plans
• Monitoring of occupier satisfaction in terms of disabled access, air quality, natural daylight etc
• Promoting an understanding of carbon awareness to staff, customers and/or visitors
• Achievement of pre and/or post occupancy sustainability certification.