2026 Build Ohio Awards
Application opens March 13, 2026
Entries due August 7, 2026
Your Build Ohio Entry
Every year, companies have questions about how best to prepare their Build Ohio entry. The dropdown boxes below outline the process and provide valuable tips to keep in mind as you put together your entry.
Eligible Projects
A company may submit up to two projects per category. Each office may submit two projects per category for companies with more than one office in Ohio. In a joint venture submittal, the controlling partner must be an AGC of Ohio member in good standing. Non-members will not be recognized.
A minimum of three projects from three different companies, including subsidiaries, must be entered in a category before awards will be given in that category. Companies submitting projects in a category with fewer than three entries may resubmit their projects the following year.
Every year, companies have questions about how best to prepare their Build Ohio entry. The dropdown boxes below outline the process and provide valuable tips to keep in mind as you put together your entry.
Eligible Projects
- Must have been completed between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026
- Must be located in Ohio
A company may submit up to two projects per category. Each office may submit two projects per category for companies with more than one office in Ohio. In a joint venture submittal, the controlling partner must be an AGC of Ohio member in good standing. Non-members will not be recognized.
A minimum of three projects from three different companies, including subsidiaries, must be entered in a category before awards will be given in that category. Companies submitting projects in a category with fewer than three entries may resubmit their projects the following year.
FAQs
What are the categories?
Projects can be entered in one of the following categories:
The Build Ohio categories are loosely defined to allow AGC of Ohio to be fair and flexible. Some projects may meet the requirements for more than one category. For example, a company could enter a new industrial building in the New Construction or Industrial/Heavy category since it meets both categories’ criteria. A specialty contractor may choose to enter a project in the Renovation category instead of the Specialty category.
- New Construction
- Renovation
- Specialty
- Industrial/Heavy
The Build Ohio categories are loosely defined to allow AGC of Ohio to be fair and flexible. Some projects may meet the requirements for more than one category. For example, a company could enter a new industrial building in the New Construction or Industrial/Heavy category since it meets both categories’ criteria. A specialty contractor may choose to enter a project in the Renovation category instead of the Specialty category.
What criteria does the project have to meet?
Each project entry should cover the following criteria:
- Meeting the Challenge of a Difficult Job
- Excellence in Project Management
- Using Innovative Construction Practices
- Excellence in Client Service
- Improvements to Safety and Quality
How do I choose a category?
To determine in which category a project should be entered, first consider what type of project it is:
New Construction: Traditional building projects such as office buildings, hospitals, schools, libraries, museums, multi-family housing, etc.
Renovation: Restoration to part of or an entire traditional building
Specialty: Company served as a specialty contractor on the project (prime or sub)
Industrial/Heavy: Renovation or new construction of: Industrial, Heavy, Environmental or Municipal & Utilities
Industrial construction covers industrial plants, manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, and industrial cleanup
Heavy projects involve heavy equipment and machinery (such as machine press foundations), restoring equipment and machinery, marine construction or dredging projects for waterways, flood control and prevention projects, etc.
Municipal & Utilities deal with water and wastewater, underground utilities, site preparation, and other types of public works construction.
Environmental projects involve environmental remediation, industrial cleanup, construction waste reuse and recycling, illegal dumping clean-up, etc.
(If you are unsure about which category your project should be entered in, contact the AGC of Ohio office for assistance.)
PLEASE NOTE: The Build Ohio judges have the final say in what category a project is entered, and they will move a project to another category, with approval of entrant, if it is in the best interest of the project.
New Construction: Traditional building projects such as office buildings, hospitals, schools, libraries, museums, multi-family housing, etc.
Renovation: Restoration to part of or an entire traditional building
Specialty: Company served as a specialty contractor on the project (prime or sub)
Industrial/Heavy: Renovation or new construction of: Industrial, Heavy, Environmental or Municipal & Utilities
Industrial construction covers industrial plants, manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, and industrial cleanup
Heavy projects involve heavy equipment and machinery (such as machine press foundations), restoring equipment and machinery, marine construction or dredging projects for waterways, flood control and prevention projects, etc.
Municipal & Utilities deal with water and wastewater, underground utilities, site preparation, and other types of public works construction.
Environmental projects involve environmental remediation, industrial cleanup, construction waste reuse and recycling, illegal dumping clean-up, etc.
(If you are unsure about which category your project should be entered in, contact the AGC of Ohio office for assistance.)
PLEASE NOTE: The Build Ohio judges have the final say in what category a project is entered, and they will move a project to another category, with approval of entrant, if it is in the best interest of the project.
What if we have more than one category?
Companies may enter up to two projects per category. If a company with multiple offices in Ohio has separate offices wanting to enter the same category, each office may submit two projects in the same category. For example, XYZ Construction Co.’s Cleveland and Cincinnati offices may each submit two projects in the Renovation Category.
How are winning projects selected?
A panel of retired construction professionals, far removed from the current AGC of Ohio activities and association politics, serves as Build Ohio judges.
Each AGC of Ohio division (Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Central Ohio-Columbus, Northwest Ohio-Toledo, West Central Ohio-Dayton, and Youngstown) selects two people to serve as Build Ohio judges.
The judges examine each project according to how it meets the criteria in its category. Each individual criterion in a category is allotted a certain number of points.
The criteria and points are as follows:
Build Ohio winners will be announced for the first time during the annual Build Ohio awards dinner and presentation. No companies will be notified before the winners are announced that evening.
Each AGC of Ohio division (Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Central Ohio-Columbus, Northwest Ohio-Toledo, West Central Ohio-Dayton, and Youngstown) selects two people to serve as Build Ohio judges.
The judges examine each project according to how it meets the criteria in its category. Each individual criterion in a category is allotted a certain number of points.
The criteria and points are as follows:
- Meeting the Challenge of a Difficult Job
- Excellence in Project Management
- Using Innovative Construction Practices
- Excellence in Client Service
- Improvements to Safety and Quality
Build Ohio winners will be announced for the first time during the annual Build Ohio awards dinner and presentation. No companies will be notified before the winners are announced that evening.
How do I write the Build Ohio Award story?
The written submission, or "Project Narrative" is your best opportunity to show how your project meets (and surpasses) the Build Ohio criteria. Often, it can make or break a project’s chance of winning. Build Ohio judges can only see so much by viewing pictures. The project story provides an in-depth look at the entire project and describes why it should receive a Build Ohio award.
WHERE TO BEGIN: Review the project’s inception and gather information from estimating through completion. List the important aspects of the project that should be conveyed and any additional details that might help illustrate the project, such as safety records, partnering, unusual conditions or circumstances, innovations, honors, etc.
GET HELP: Do not obtain all the information for the written submission from one person. Try to involve as many people as possible: project managers, superintendents, foremen, crew chiefs, safety personnel, subcontractors, owners, engineers, architects, etc. They may provide new input and viewpoints. It is easier to get started with more information than with less. If there is not enough time to talk to everyone individually, have them complete a questionnaire.
ORGANIZE: Take all the information about the project you gathered and organize it. What information addresses which criteria? What is pertinent, what is not? Create an outline from that information and begin writing. Ensure your project story is easy to follow and clearly defines how the project addresses each criterion.
ADDRESS ALL OF THE CRITERIA: Winning projects are determined by how well they meet the criteria being scored. The biggest mistake you can make is to neglect specific criteria. The requirements cannot be defined easily, and particular aspects of a job can fall under more than one criterion. The same element of a job can cover different criteria, but be careful to tell the story in a manner that is easy to follow.
PROVE YOUR POINT: Provide as many reasons/examples as possible in the text of how the project meets each criterion for its category. The more information you give in your project story, the more the Build Ohio judges learn about your project and the challenges/difficulties with it.
EXPLAIN DETAILS: Provide examples and details to illustrate a point. For example, it is easy to say, "Cement masons worked a lot of overtime to complete the project on time." But how much information does that provide? This sentence tells a lot more: "Two shifts of cement masons worked around the clock, averaging 10-hour days, six days a week, in the last month to complete the job on time."
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE: Be aware that the Build Ohio judges are retired construction professionals, so write the story accordingly. They want to hear about the construction processes and the challenges relating to the project, not how it looks.
PHOTOS: A maximum of three (3) photos per criterion can be uploaded to supplement your project story. The size and number of photos uploaded to each criteria section are up to you. *Please send high-resolution graphics.
For more information and to receive a copy of past winning submissions, contact Parker Brown at (614) 486-6446 or [email protected].
WHERE TO BEGIN: Review the project’s inception and gather information from estimating through completion. List the important aspects of the project that should be conveyed and any additional details that might help illustrate the project, such as safety records, partnering, unusual conditions or circumstances, innovations, honors, etc.
GET HELP: Do not obtain all the information for the written submission from one person. Try to involve as many people as possible: project managers, superintendents, foremen, crew chiefs, safety personnel, subcontractors, owners, engineers, architects, etc. They may provide new input and viewpoints. It is easier to get started with more information than with less. If there is not enough time to talk to everyone individually, have them complete a questionnaire.
ORGANIZE: Take all the information about the project you gathered and organize it. What information addresses which criteria? What is pertinent, what is not? Create an outline from that information and begin writing. Ensure your project story is easy to follow and clearly defines how the project addresses each criterion.
ADDRESS ALL OF THE CRITERIA: Winning projects are determined by how well they meet the criteria being scored. The biggest mistake you can make is to neglect specific criteria. The requirements cannot be defined easily, and particular aspects of a job can fall under more than one criterion. The same element of a job can cover different criteria, but be careful to tell the story in a manner that is easy to follow.
PROVE YOUR POINT: Provide as many reasons/examples as possible in the text of how the project meets each criterion for its category. The more information you give in your project story, the more the Build Ohio judges learn about your project and the challenges/difficulties with it.
EXPLAIN DETAILS: Provide examples and details to illustrate a point. For example, it is easy to say, "Cement masons worked a lot of overtime to complete the project on time." But how much information does that provide? This sentence tells a lot more: "Two shifts of cement masons worked around the clock, averaging 10-hour days, six days a week, in the last month to complete the job on time."
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE: Be aware that the Build Ohio judges are retired construction professionals, so write the story accordingly. They want to hear about the construction processes and the challenges relating to the project, not how it looks.
PHOTOS: A maximum of three (3) photos per criterion can be uploaded to supplement your project story. The size and number of photos uploaded to each criteria section are up to you. *Please send high-resolution graphics.
For more information and to receive a copy of past winning submissions, contact Parker Brown at (614) 486-6446 or [email protected].
How do we market the Build Ohio Award entry?
Even if you don’t win a Build Ohio award, there are many benefits for all who enter the competition. For example, companies and their Build Ohio projects will be recognized in a special video shown to hundreds of people during the Awards Program and Celebration gala in November. The video section features your company's project(s), which will be provided to you and promoted across AGC of Ohio's communication platforms. AGC of Ohio also produces various printed pieces and press releases highlighting the projects entered in Build Ohio, giving your company great exposure to construction professionals and the public throughout Ohio. There are additional steps your company can take to maximize other marketing opportunities available to you when you submit a project in Build Ohio. Your entry opens the door to excellent promotion of your company.
