Built by the Best Award
The Controlled Environment Building Association's Built by the Best Award acknowledges expertise and innovation in constructing, renovating and/or modernizing controlled environment buildings across the world. The award is open to project teams around the globe, in all regions comprised of Contractor / Design-Build companies / End-User companies that are active association members. Any of these parties can submit an application.
Buildings recognized with the Built by the Best Award seal represent the most innovative and complex facilities built around the globe according to the intricate, unique standards set forth by the controlled environment industry.
2025 AWARD CATEGORIES
This year’s award program offers a more streamlined application process and includes awards recognizing the varied sizes of controlled environment buildings constructed worldwide.
After three years of an "Above $35MM" and "Below $35MM" categories for the Built by the Best Award, the award will evolve into three new categories:
- Controlled Environment, Cold Storage & Distribution Warehouses are specialized facilities designed to store and distribute perishable products that require temperature control to maintain quality and safety. These warehouses play a crucial role in supply chain logistics, particularly for industries like food, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. Submissions for this may be conventional, semi-automated, or fully automated warehouses.
- Processing/Manufacturing Facilities are industrial operations where raw materials are transformed into finished goods or intermediate products. These facilities are key to various supply chains and include a broad range of industries. Submissions for this category should emphasize use of controlled environment building features.
- Special Works Projects (Small Expansions, Tenant Improvements, Maintenance, Retrofits, and Renovations) are targeted and strategic improvements intended to deliver specific goals/outcomes/enhancements. Generally, these projects should be in the USD <$20MM range. Submissions for this category might include things like:
- Adding in blast freezing cells to an operating cold storage,
- Retrofitting in some automated features into an existing facility.
- Building a box-in-box facility.
2025 Award Eligibility
This award is open to project teams in any country comprised of Contractor/Design-Build companies and Processor/End-User/Warehouse/Third-Party Logistics companies that meet the following criteria:
- Contractor or design-build company must be a CEBA member in any region. Processor/End User/Warehouse/Third-Party Logistics company does not need to be a member.
- A representative from customer company (processor, end-user, warehouse, etc.) is preferred to join the contractor or design/build company during the award presentation at the annual CEBA Conference & Expo.
- Building must maintain a controlled environment.
- Teams must have completed a new build or expansion within the timeframe of January 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025. Project must have been completed on or ahead of schedule.
- Submission must be received by the submission deadline. Late applications will not be accepted.
Application Process & Requirements
- 2025 CEBA Built by the Best Award Application - Click Here
- CEBA Built by the Best Award PowerPoint Deck - Click Here
- There is no application fee.
2025 Submission Deadline: July 31, 2025
- Project teams must complete the application process within the submission period. No late applications will be accepted
- Submission Deadline: Thursday, July 31, 2025 COB
- Please send application materials to Holly Coughlan – hcoughlan@gcca.org
Judging Process
Applications will be assessed during a formal scorecard review process conducted by the Selection Panel (made up of members of the CEBA Board of Directors, Business Development & Marketing Committee, and select end-users).
Questions?
If you have questions about CEBA's Built by the Best award or submission process, please contact Holly Coughlan, Manager of Member and Business Development Services at hcoughlan@gcca.org.