Sustainability experts have once again judged the sustainability entries as part of the 2024 ENR Midwest Best Projects awards.

The regional Excellence in Sustainability winners, along with all the other Best Project winners, will be honored as part of the ENR Midwest Best Projects 2024 awards event on Nov.15 in Chicago. 

The judges for sustainability were Jill Katic, senior director, knowledge management and learning, Barton Malow Holdings, Laura Drescher, sustainability technical services leader for Burns & McDonnell, and Lynda Leigh, development manager, CedarSt Companies. Judges were not allowed to judge or score any of their own company’s projects. 

For the sustainability award, our experts judged the projects based on their sustainability information, which includes the project's overall sustainability strategy, choice of materials, energy savings, etc., as described in an essay question. While major green designations like LEED and WELL are preferable, they are not absolutely critical. Our judges also considered how well the project team went above and beyond baseline industry requirements on the submitted project. Entries that clearly identify the strategies that led to excellent sustainability results were scored higher than more general responses. 

ENR Midwest Best Projects will be profiled in the Nov. 11 regional print edition. Also, watch for previews of the big event, an awards breakfast set for Friday, Nov. 15 in Chicago, where winners of ENR Midwest's Legacy Award, Specialty Contractor of the Year, Contractor of the Year, Owner of the Year, and Design Firm of the Year, will also be honored. 

This year's Excellence in Sustainability winners are:

Excellence in Sustainability Award
Omaha RiverFront Revitalization
Omaha, Neb.
Submitted by HDR

Award of Merit, Sustainability
Project Dolphin/DB Schenker
Submitted by Clayco

Award of Merit, Sustainability
Alliant Energy Solar Program
Nine sites in Wisconsin
Submitted by Burns & McDonnell