California Green Building Awards
Celebrating Sustainability
Celebrating Sustainability
Welcome to our awards page, where we celebrate and recognize exceptional sustainability and innovation achievements through various awards open year-round for projects based in California. These awards culminate in recognition at our two major annual events: the California Green Building Conference and the Annual Green Gala. We invite you to explore the details for each award below, including key dates and events for participation!
Presented at our Annual Green Gala on Dec 10, 2025
California Green Building Awards
The California Green Building Awards celebrate projects that demonstrate innovation, sustainable strategies, and exemplary performance in the fields of sustainability, occupant health, and community engagement. Open to both built and planned (unbuilt) projects, this category honors both publicly and privately owned buildings that are making significant strides in green building practices.
Application Deadline: October 6th, 2025
Awardee Notification: October 30, 2025
Green Gala and Awards Presentation: December 10th, 2025
Projects must be located in California and can include any of the following typologies: commercial, residential, urban design, or institutional.
Built Projects: Certification under a sustainability rating system (LEED, Fitwel, WELL, etc.) is preferred but not required.
Unbuilt Projects: Must have begun Design Development, Construction Documentation, or be under construction, and registered for a sustainable design certification. Innovation in one or more of the award categories is required
-Energy/Operational Carbon
-Water
-Zero Waste & Circular Solutions
-Health & Wellbeing
-Equity & Environmental Justice
-Project of the Year
$225 for the first submission
$175 for all additional category submissions
Community Awards
The USGBC-CA’s Annual Community Awards honor the individuals and organizations that make our work possible. We celebrate the significant contributions and accomplishments of our community from the past year!
Self-nominations are encouraged, and multiple nominations are welcomed!
Submission Deadline: October 6, 2025
Green Gala and Awards Presentation: December 10th, 2025
Partner of the Year: Recognizes an organization’s leadership and commitment to advancing sustainability in California.
Heart of the Chapter: Honors a USGBC-CA member who has shown exceptional dedication to sustainability and inspired others within the chapter.
Corporate Sustainability Award: Celebrates a company leading the way with ambitious sustainability goals and impactful actions.
Environmental Justice Award: Recognizes efforts centered on equity and environmental justice in sustainable development.
Emerging Leader Award: Honors a rising professional demonstrating leadership and innovation in sustainability.
Kevin Devine Award: Acknowledges excellence in green building operations and maintenance.
Presented at The California Green Building Conference on May 22, 2025
Product Awards
Through our annual Product Awards, USGBC-CA honors products that have a significant impact on both policy and projects, transforming Southern California into a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable region for all.
Application Deadline: March 26th, 2025
California Green Building Conference and Awards Presentation: May 22, 2025
Material Impact Award: The Material Impact Award honors a building product or material presenting the biggest opportunity to move the market forward by reducing embodied carbon in buildings across California and beyond.
Market Transformation Award: The Market Transformation Award recognizes a product or solution that has significantly influenced the adoption of sustainable practices and transformed how the market approaches green building and sustainability.
Ripple Effect Award: The Ripple Effect Award honors a product, technology, initiative, or organization that catalyzes sustainable water management. By driving conservation, efficiency, capture, or reuse, this innovator is creating a far-reaching impact, helping to build a more resilient water future for California and beyond.
Civic Leadership Awards
The Civic Leadership Awards celebrate exceptional leaders advancing sustainability and green building practices across California and beyond.
Application Deadline: March 26th, 2025
California Green Building Conference and Awards Presentation: May 22, 2025
The Policy Leadership Award honors a municipality or agency that is leading the way in advancing green building and sustainability for California and beyond.
The Elected Official Award honors an elected official who is leading on sustainability for California and beyond.
Previous Awardees and Case Studies
The Green Building Awards Case Studies highlight past winners’ innovative projects, showcasing excellence in sustainable design, energy efficiency, and environmental impact. These projects set new standards for green building and inspire future developments.
Previous Awardees
Discover the remarkable achievements of our past winners of the Sustainable Innovation Awards (SIAs) and the USGBC-CA’s Community Awards! These trailblazers have set the standard for excellence in sustainability, showcasing innovative projects and impactful community contributions.
Annual Green Gala
December 10, 2025 is the date! This year, we’re bringing the ocean to the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood with an “A Night in California’s Biomes” theme.
From towering redwoods to sun-drenched deserts, rolling grasslands to vibrant coastal wetlands, we’ll celebrate the incredible landscapes that make our state so unique—and the sustainability champions working tirelessly to protect them.
California Green Building Conference!
Mark your calendars—May 22, 2025! For the first time ever we’re bringing California’s leading green building conference to San Francisco, where green building pros, sustainability rockstars, and change-makers from across the state will come together under one roof.
