Judging Criteria

Our judging panel looks for individuals who are driving meaningful change in Aotearoa’s built environment through their ideas, actions, and leadership.

Strong submissions typically demonstrate:

• Innovation – new ideas, research, technologies, or approaches that challenge conventional thinking
• Impact – evidence of how the work contributes to sustainability outcomes in the built environment
• Leadership – the ability to inspire others, influence change, or bring people together
• Commitment to sustainability – a clear passion for creating a low-carbon, climate-resilient future
• Potential – a strong vision for how their work could shape the future of the industry

Whether through research, advocacy, entrepreneurship, or project delivery, we’re looking for future leaders who are helping transform how we design, build, and operate our buildings and communities.

Judging process:

The Future Thinker of the Year awards are judged over two stages:

Stage 1: Written submission
Applicants complete an online submission form with guided questions outlining their work, ideas, and contribution to sustainability in the built environment.

Stage 2: Video submission (shortlisted applicants)
Shortlisted applicants are invited to submit a short elevator-pitch style video. This allows judges to better understand the applicant’s communication style, passion, and ability to influence and inspire others within the industry.

This two-stage process helps ensure judges can assess both the strength of the work itself and the individual behind it.