Established in 1991, Build Ohio celebrates construction through an awards program that recognizes contractors for excellence in construction and a gala that reflects upon the accomplishments of the construction industry throughout the year. The Build Ohio awards program recognizes commercial contractors for excellence in construction. Winning projects set the standard of excellence in construction in Ohio defining a standard that many strive to achieve. The awards program is open to all AGC of Ohio contractor members in good standing. A panel of highly regarded retired construction professionals selects the winning entries according to how they meet (and surpass) the Build Ohio criteria. Winning projects receive the bronze and green marble Build Ohio statue.
The Build Ohio Celebration gala culminates the year. More than 350 contractors from across Ohio attend the annual event, which includes a cocktail hour, dinner, and program recognizing the accomplishments of the commercial building industry. A video presentation highlights the projects entered in the awards program, and the winners are announced for the first time that evening. The 2022 Build Ohio Celebration will be held the evening of November 11, 2022 at the Hilton Columbus at Easton.
Your Build Ohio Entry
Every year, companies have questions about how to best prepare their Build Ohio entry. The dropdown boxes below describe the entire process, and give some useful tips to keep in mind while putting together your entry.
Eligible projects must have been completed between August 1, 2021 and July 31, 2022 and must be located in Ohio. A company may only enter the same project once. A company may enter different phases or elements of the same project independently, but they cannot be combined as another total project entry.
A company may submit up to two projects per category. For companies with more than one office in Ohio, each office may submit two projects per category. 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 any awards will be given in that category. Companies submitting projects in a category with less than three entries may resubmit their project the following year.
Entry CategoriesExpand
Projects can be entered in one of the following five categories:
- New Construction
- Renovation
- Specialty
- Transportation
- Industrial/Heavy.
AGC of Ohio will make initial determination of how each category will be broken down by contract type/delivery system and contract amount with judges making the final determination.
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 as opposed to the Specialty category.
Project Criteria
Each project entry should cover all of the criteria in its category.
General Category Criteria (all categories except Specialty)
- Meeting the Challenge of a Difficult Job (30 points)
- Excellence in Client Service (30 points)
- Excellence in Project Management (20 points)
- Innovations in Construction Techniques/Materials (20 points)
Specialty Category Criteria
- Performance as it Relates to Schedule (20 points)
- Client Service Excellence (20 points)
- Meeting the Challenge of a Difficult Job (20 points)
- Craftsmanship (20 points)
- Innovations in construction Techniques/Materials (20 points)
Which 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 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, any type of marine construction or dredging projects for waterways, flood control and prevention projects, etc.
Municipal & Utilities deal with water and waste water, 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.
Transportation: Renovation or new construction of: highways, lane expansions, bridges, rail, etc.
(If you are unsure about which category your project should be entered in, contact the AGC of Ohio office for assistance.)
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. Each project is judged according to the criteria of the category in which it is entered (i.e. Specialty contractors entering projects in the Renovation category will be judged according to the Renovation criteria, not the Specialty category criteria.)
What if our company has more than one project that it wants to enter in the same category?
Companies may enter up to two projects per category. If a company with multiple offices in Ohio has separate offices that want to enter in 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 Winning Projects are Selected
A panel of retired construction professionals that are far removed from current AGC of Ohio activities and association politics serve 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:
Renovation, Industrial/Heavy, New Construction, Transportation:
- Excellence in Client Service - 30 points
- Meeting the Challenge of a Difficult Job - 30 points
- Innovation in Construction Techniques or Materials - 20 points
- Excellence in Project Management - 20 points
Specialty Category:
- Excellence in Client Service - 20 points
- Meeting the Challenge of a Difficult Job - 20 points
- Innovation in Construction Techniques or Materials - 20 points
- Performance as It Relates to Schedule - 20 points
- Craftsmanship - 20 points
All Build Ohio judges receive a binder containing the submitted sections of your project story and judging sheets. The judges are asked to review each submission, independent of the other judges, and determine each project’s preliminary score.
After the binders have been reviewed, the judges are brought together at the AGC office in Columbus. The judges meet as a group to discuss their individual findings, and adjust their individual scores based on any new information uncovered in the group discussion.
To ascertain the total score for a project, the highest and lowest judges’ scores are removed, and the average is taken from the remainder of the scores. The project with the highest average in its category wins the Build Ohio award for that category. One award is provided in each category however in the case of a tie, two awards in the category will be presented.
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.
The 2022 Build Ohio Celebration will be held the evening of November 11th at the Hilton Columbus at Easton.
The Build Ohio Project Story
The written submission, or "Project Story," is your best opportunity to show how your project meets (and surpasses) the Build Ohio criteria. Often times, 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: Think back to the project’s inception and gather information from estimating through completion. List the important aspects of the project that should be conveyed, as well as 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 of 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 not enough. If there is not enough time to talk to everyone individually, have them fill out a questionnaire.
ORGANIZE: Take all of 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. Make certain that your project story is easy to follow, and clearly defines how the project addresses each criterion.
ADDRESS ALL OF THE CRITERIA: Every Build Ohio category has a certain set of criteria, and winning projects are determined by how well they meet the criteria. The biggest mistake you can make is to neglect certain criteria. The criteria cannot be defined easily, and certain aspects of a job can fall under more than one criterion. The same aspect 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 that 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 and write the story accordingly. They want to hear about the construction processes and the challenges relating to the project.
PHOTOS: A maximum number of three (3) photos per section of scored criteria can be uploaded to supplement your project story. The size and number of photos uploaded to each criteria section is up to you. Please send high resolutions graphics.
For more information and to receive a copy of past winning submissions, contact Parker Brown at (614) 486-6446 or parker@agcohio.com.
Market Your Build Ohio Entry
Even if you don’t win an Build Ohio award, there are many benefits for all that enter the competition. For example, companies and their Build Ohio projects will be recognized in a very special video shown to hundreds of people during the Awards Program and Celebration gala in November. The section of the video feature your companies project(s) 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.
Consider Build Ohio Celebration Sponsorship!
There are several ways members can be involved with AGC of Ohio’s annual Build Ohio event. Some enter projects in the awards competition. Another excellent way to support Build Ohio and your association is to sponsor the Celebration gala.
Benefits For Build Ohio Celebration Sponsors Include:
- Public recognition as a Build Ohio sponsor
- Exposure to the contractors and guests that annually attend the gala
- Your sponsor board and sponsor logo flashing throughout the dinner
- Inclusion in all event printed and electronic marketing materials
- Company description included in the Build Ohio Preview that is mailed to 2000+ construction professionals
- Complimentary admissions to the Build Ohio Celebration
Sponsor Deadline:
The Build Ohio Preview is mailed in October to over 2,000 construction industry Representatives, including private and public owners, architects, engineers, government officials and AGC of Ohio members.
Direct questions to Parker Brown at (614) 486-6446 or parker@agcohio.com