A jury of local architects, engineers, contractors and owners cited achievement in building and infrastructure projects that provided essential services to the California and Hawaii region. The judging team also homed in on those that featured innovative construction methods and creative design solutions.

Submitters provided more than 90 entries for consideration. Judging criteria included collaboration and teamwork, ability to overcome challenges, safety performance and use of innovative design or construction solutions. The panel also considered the contribution to the construction industry and/or community, design quality and construction craftsmanship. Entries were not accepted for projects that had a construction-related death.

If a judge worked for a firm directly involved in a submitted project, that panelist was assigned to a different category and did not participate in the scoring of any competing firms’ entries.

This year’s judges included Benjamin Caffey, associate and architecture and design leader with Harley Ellis Devereaux; Joe Collins, a partner at ZGF Architects LLP; Aaron Fenton, project manager of development at Boston Properties; Clark Fernon, unit manager-SoCal/Nevada for TY Lin International; Rick Fochtman; senior vice president of Bernards; Chris Forster, vice president of operations at Largo Concrete; Rory Madden, senior project manager at DPR Construction; David Mori, engineering manager, design services for the ity of Anaheim; and Suzanne Napier, studio leader at SmithGroupJJR.

Two safety specialists reviewed several dozen entries for the Excellence in Safety Award, considering factors such as the project’s lost-time accident rate, total worker hours and the quality of the contractor’s safety program. The panelists were: Pat Callahan, senior vice president and corporate officer for safety at Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Co., and returning judge Rand Magee, group director of safety at Kiewit Infrastructure Group.

Winning project teams will be recognized at two awards banquets—one in Los Angeles on Oct. 4 and one in San Francisco on Oct. 6. For more details, visit enrbestprojectsawards.com.