Entry Guidelines & Eligibility

To be eligible, projects must:

• Be residential or commercial projects in the Cayman Islands

• Demonstrate measurable improvements in:

  • Energy efficiency

  • Water conservation

  • CO₂ emissions reduction

  • Indoor environmental quality

  • Responsible resource management

• Be executed by a locally registered architect-of-record and engineers-of-record

• Be constructed by a general contractor and subcontractors registered with the Cayman Islands Builders Board

Judging Criteria

Judges will evaluate projects across five key areas:

DESIGN EXCELLENCE

• Detail the complexity of the development objectives, problems or situations addressed in the design

• Demonstrate the project team’s resourcefulness in planning and resolving design and construction challenges

CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

• Demonstrate new, adaptive or innovative application of technology, design, materials or process and construction methods

VALUE

• Evaluate the contribution of the nominated project to the development and construction sectors of the Cayman Islands economy, related Professions and to the public perception of the endeavour represented by the nominated project

• Show that these positive perceptions include contributions to environmental and cultural concerns

BUILDABILITY

• Demonstrate effective and efficient collaboration between the process of design and the process of construction

• Comment on the quality of the constructed project, specifically on stakeholder satisfaction and proven performance

• Articulate how the project used a systemic, integrated approach to both its design and construction

CULTURAL RESPONSE

• Describe active and passive social, economic, and cultural considerations addressed by the project team in the process of designing and constructing the nominated project

• Catalogue the project’s improvements to public health, safety, and welfare in the Cayman Islands

• Describe the project’s active and passive contributions to Caymanian culture and the arts

Submission Format

• Use the official PowerPoint template

• Maximum 20 slides

• Images must be a minimum of 300 dpi

• Multiple images per slide are allowed

• Only include essential data and charts

• Videos will not be accepted

Publicity

By entering, nominees consent to the use of project photography for publicity purposes. Selected images may be featured in:

• REAL LIFE Caribbean magazine

• Local and regional newspapers

• Trade journals

• Official Governor’s Award communications

FAQs

Would the public have access to the buildings?
As the public is not being surveyed for their opinions on which building or project should receive the Governor’s Award, there is no reason to access beyond the usual accessibility of the nominated building. Clearly, it would be counterproductive for the Governor to award a building or project that is normally secure with limited public access, unless it is a deserving residence or group of residences.

Would the Judges have access to the project being reviewed?
Judges will select the Short List purely based on the PowerPoint presentation submitted in support of a Nomination. The Governor will be persuaded to award (if any) from the shortlisted nominations based on the PowerPoint presentations as submitted.

How many slides should the PowerPoint presentation consist of?
The overall submission presentation should not exceed 20 slides, but may be shorter.

How technical does the presentation need to be?
Include only data and charts that are absolutely essential for understanding the project’s technical aspects or innovations where appropriate. Simple statements about the project’s technical or environmental performance are preferable to dense datasets.

Are videos, embedded or otherwise, acceptable as part of a presentation nomination?
Videos will not be accepted as part of the nomination or judging process.

How do I ensure that my nomination reaches the Judges?
Nomination Forms and PowerPoint presentations should be uploaded using the form on this website. If you have any queries, please email us at: governorsaward2025@gmail.com

What is the deadline for submission of nominations?
All entries must be received by us by no later than Friday, 07 November 2025, at 11:59 p.m. to be eligible for consideration.

PowerPoint Submission Checklist

• Use the official downloadable PowerPoint template

• Governor’s Award logo must remain on all slides (may be resized/repositioned)

• Use Futura Condensed Light font

• Max 20 slides per submission

• Address all 5 judging criteria where relevant

• Include high-quality images (min. 300 dpi)

• All graphics are at least 200 dpi

• Floor plans/elevations/line drawings must be inverted (white on black)

• Use captions/text to explain images and criteria links

• Refer to the Example Presentation for guidance

Remember: Judges do not visit project sites. Your PowerPoint is your project’s voice—make it clear, compelling, and visually strong.

Required Documentation

You will need to submit the following documentation, downloadable from this page (below), as part of your application to the Governor’s Award 2025:

• PowerPoint Presentation

• Nomination Form

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, 07 November 2025, at 11:59 p.m.