Awards Program

Environmental Excellence

Project Submissions are Now Open for the 2027 Environmental Excellence Awards!

Arizona’s Environmental Excellence Awards, established in 1980, have served as the state’s signature sustainability recognition program for more than four decades, setting the benchmark for environmental stewardship, innovation and economic achievement. This prestigious program celebrates outstanding projects and visionary leaders across Arizona who are advancing sustainability, driving innovation and turning bold ideas into meaningful action.

Arizona Forward invites organizations, businesses, communities and individuals from across the state to showcase their innovative projects and sustainability achievements. Explore the award categories and their specific criteria below to find the best fit for your project.  We look forward to learning about your projects and celebrating the people, partnerships and innovative solutions making a lasting impact on Arizona’s future!

The deadline to submit a project is Friday, December 18, 2026.

Submit a Project

Celebrating Solutions. Inspiring Change. 

Arizona Forward is reimagining the way we honor sustainability leadership. It’s not about what your project is, but the real-world challenge it solves and the measurable difference it makes. Whether your entry is a building, a work of art, a new technology, or a grassroots program, what matters most is impact—on communities, on the environment, and on Arizona’s sustainable future. From innovation and community action to sustainable design and advocacy, we recognize work that moves Arizona forward.

About the Awards

Our awards celebrate the best of the best in sustainability:

  • Recognition: Judged by a panel of respected community leaders and experts.

  • Prestige: All qualifying projects are featured at the awards event and promoted statewide throughout the year.

  • Legacy: Winners join the ranks of Arizona’s most distinguished sustainability achievements.

Judging Criteria – It’s About Impact

Every project is evaluated based on its sustainability impact—whether it benefits a community, a city, a region, or the entire state of Arizona. Size, scale, or budget do not define success here—outcomes do.

Note: Projects that have previously received a Crescordia Award are not eligible for submission in any category going forward. 

 

2027 Awards Category Criteria

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2026 Environmental Excellence Awards - Categories & Criteria
Criteria
  • Sustainability Integration: Shows how sustainability is integrated into the company’s business model, operations, and decision-making processes.
  • Resource Efficiency: Effective use of resources (energy, water, materials) and reducing waste.
  • Supply Chain Responsibility: Commitment to sustainable sourcing and ethical supply chains.
  • Innovation and Technology: Adoption of innovative technologies or practices that significantly reduce environmental impacts.
  • Employee Engagement and Culture: Company’s role in educating and involving employees in sustainable practices, both at work and in their personal lives.
Criteria
  • Water Conservation: Demonstrates significant efforts to reduce water usage in buildings, industry, agriculture, or urban areas.
  • Water Quality Improvement: Implements strategies to preserve or enhance water quality, such as pollution prevention or wastewater treatment innovation.
  • Long-Term Sustainability: Addresses water scarcity with sustainable solutions, such as aquifer recharge, desalination, or water-efficient technologies.
  • Policy Influence: Works to advocate for or implement state or local policies to ensure long-term water availability and health.
  • Community Engagement: Involves local communities in water conservation, education, and action.
Criteria
  • Innovation: Technology addresses an existing environmental problem through innovative design, process, or materials.
  • Environmental Impact: Demonstrates measurable environmental benefits, such as carbon footprint reduction, energy savings, or pollution prevention.
  • Financial Viability: Demonstrates solid business planning, attracting investment or generating revenue for Arizona, with sustainable growth potential.
  • Job Creation: Contributes to economic development by creating potential new green jobs or skill-building opportunities.
Criteria
  • Energy Transition: Significant efforts to transition from fossil fuel reliance to renewable or clean energy sources.
  • Innovation in Energy Production: Implementation of cutting-edge renewable energy technologies, such as solar, wind, or battery storage.
  • Building and Infrastructure Modernization: Contributions to modernizing buildings and structures to improve energy efficiency and accommodate renewable energy solutions. This includes retrofitting existing buildings with energy-efficient technologies, integrating sustainable building materials, and implementing designs that enhance the performance of renewable energy systems. Emphasis is placed on improving the energy performance, resilience, and sustainability of the built environment while reducing carbon footprints and operational costs.
  • Policy Advocacy: Efforts to influence policies that promote energy sustainability and reduce carbon emissions.
  • Energy Accessibility: Working towards providing equitable access to clean and affordable energy for underserved or disadvantaged communities.
Criteria
  • Innovative Solutions: Development or implementation of technologies or strategies to reduce urban heat islands, such as cool roofs, green spaces, or reflective materials.
  • Urban Planning Integration: Integration of heat mitigation solutions into city planning and architecture.
  • Climate Resilience: Efforts to increase community resilience to heatwaves, especially for vulnerable populations.
  • Impact Measurement: Demonstrates a measurable reduction in heat-related impacts, such as decreased temperatures or fewer heat-related illnesses.
  • Public Engagement: Efforts to engage and serve the public in regard to heat mitigation and involve them in community action.
Criteria
  • Construction and Demolition: Effective strategies for reducing construction and demolition waste, reusing building materials, and creating closed-loop systems in the building sector. This includes innovative approaches to building design that prioritize the deconstruction and reuse of materials at the end of a building's life cycle.
  • Waste Reduction: Effective strategies for reducing waste, reusing materials, or creating closed-loop systems where waste is minimized and reused.
  • Innovation in Product Design: Development of products designed for longevity, recyclability, or ease of repair.
  • Resource Efficiency: Maximization of resource use through efficient processes and supply chains.
  • Partnerships: Collaboration with businesses, governments, or communities to foster a circular economy approach.
  • Positive Environmental Impact: Demonstrable reduction in resource consumption, waste generation, and environmental impact.
Criteria
  • Curriculum Quality: Development of engaging, comprehensive environmental education materials or programs that are age-appropriate and scientifically sound.
  • Impact on Students: The program’s ability to inspire young people to take action on environmental issues, foster sustainable behavior, or increase environmental awareness.
  • Outreach and Accessibility: The program's reach in terms of number of students, schools, or communities, especially in underserved areas.
  • Long-Term Engagement: The program fosters a long-term connection to environmental stewardship, with follow-up opportunities or ongoing community involvement.
  • Innovation in Teaching: Creative teaching methods, such as hands-on learning, experiential learning, or the use of digital tools.
Criteria
  • Clarity and Impact: The campaign effectively communicates the importance of environmental issues, using clear, concise, and engaging messaging.
  • Public Engagement: The campaign’s ability to engage the public and encourage behavior change, including participation in sustainability initiatives or advocacy for policy change.
  • Creativity: Unique, innovative approaches to environmental communication, utilizing various media (art, social media, advertising, public relations, events).
  • Measurable Outcomes: Demonstrable success in achieving campaign goals, such as increased awareness, reduced environmental impact, or policy shifts.
  • Inclusivity: The campaign’s efforts to address diverse audiences, including marginalized or hard-to-reach groups.
Criteria
  • Landscape Design for Conservation: Designing landscapes that enhance ecological health, promote biodiversity, and support sustainability, such as creating native plantings, water-efficient landscapes, and wildlife corridors.
  • Conservation Efforts: Active work in preserving natural landscapes, wildlife, or ecosystems through direct intervention or advocacy.
  • Biodiversity Protection: Initiatives that help protect and restore biodiversity, such as habitat restoration or species protection programs.
  • Sustainability Practices: Efforts to ensure that natural resources are used in a sustainable manner, preventing overuse or degradation.
  • Long-Term Impact: The ability to create long-lasting positive effects on the environment, with clear metrics for success.
  • Collaboration: Works with local communities, government agencies, or other stakeholders to ensure the preservation of natural spaces.
Criteria
  • Community Health and Well-Being: Initiatives and spaces that promote public health, environmental quality, and sustainable living conditions for local communities. This includes addressing air quality, access to parks and green spaces, mental health, and community-based health solutions. Projects may focus on increasing equitable access to safe, well-maintained parks as a means to support physical activity, social connection, and climate resilience.
  • Urban Resilience: Programs or projects that enhance the resilience of urban communities to climate change, such as improving infrastructure, ensuring equitable access to resources, and protecting vulnerable populations from environmental hazards.
  • Historical Preservation and Adaptive Reuse: Projects that preserve and repurpose historic buildings, sites, or structures, ensuring they continue to serve the community while reducing environmental impacts. This includes adaptive reuse projects that creatively integrate modern functions into historically significant buildings. Projects focused on historical preservation must be properly certified by the State Historic Preservation Office.
  • Sustainability in Urban Planning: Designing and developing urban spaces that prioritize health, sustainability, and social equity, such as integrating parks, trails, green spaces, clean energy, sustainable transportation, and local food systems into city planning. Projects should demonstrate how these elements contribute to livable, resilient communities—especially in underserved neighborhoods.
  • Collaboration: Effective partnerships with local organizations, government agencies, and community members to drive lasting health improvements and urban resilience.
Criteria
  • Sustainable Design and Architecture: Incorporates environmentally responsible design strategies such as passive heating and cooling, daylighting, and low-impact development practices. Emphasis on reducing water and energy usage through efficient building systems, layout, and materials.
  • Green Building Certifications: Achieves recognized sustainability certifications such as LEED, WELL, Living Building Challenge, or others that verify performance in areas including energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor environmental quality, and materials use.
  • Energy and Water Efficiency: Demonstrates measurable reductions in building energy use and/or water consumption through high-efficiency systems, smart technologies, drought-tolerant landscaping, and responsible water reuse strategies.
  • Sustainable Materials and Waste Reduction: Uses recycled, reclaimed, low-carbon, or non-toxic materials throughout construction and design. Projects should also prioritize waste reduction strategies and circular construction practices.
  • Climate Resilience and Adaptation: Designs infrastructure to withstand climate-related challenges such as extreme heat, flooding, drought, or storms. Includes elements like green roofs, shade structures, permeable paving, and backup energy systems.

Our Presenting Sponsor

SRP is a founding member of Arizona Forward and a presenting sponsor and partner in the awards program for the last 19 years. Paralleling nicely with the mission and vision of Arizona Forward, SRP has a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and is proud to support Arizona’s leading environmental and sustainability organization and this prestigious awards program.

Become a Sponsor

Support Arizona’s premier sustainability awards and position your organization as a leader in environmental innovation. Sponsoring the Environmental Excellence Awards helps recognize the projects and leaders driving meaningful change across Arizona, while providing valuable visibility among cross-sector decision-makers and sustainability champions. Join us in celebrating excellence and investing in a more sustainable future for Arizona.
Learn More

View the past Winners

2026 Press Release
View the 2025 Press Release
View the 2024 Press Release