Rules & Regulations

PRISM 2027 AWARDS

The Gold Coast Builders Association is proud to present the 2027 PRISM Awards, recognizing outstanding achievement throughout Florida’s residential and commercial building industries.

Because a PRISM Awards competition was not held in 2026, the 2027 PRISM Awards will recognize eligible projects, accomplishments, and work from both 2025 and 2026.

The PRISM Awards honor outstanding builders, developers, architects, planners, interior designers, merchandisers, remodelers, engineers, sales and marketing professionals, and other housing and construction-related professionals. Categories also recognize excellence in Professional Achievement, Sales, Marketing and other areas of the industry.

Featuring a wide range of categories, the PRISM Awards encompass all facets of the residential, commercial, remodeling, design, engineering, sales and marketing industries. The PRISM Awards program is presented by the Gold Coast Builders Association (GCBA), a local association affiliated with the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

ELIGIBLE ENTRIES

For the 2027 PRISM Awards, eligible entries may include qualifying projects, achievements, campaigns, sales accomplishments and other work completed or active during 2025 and/or 2026, subject to the requirements of the individual award category.

Any qualifying project or development that was open for sale, lease or rental at any time on or after January 1, 2025, is eligible for consideration.

On-the-Board entries must have received at least one government approval and demonstrate forward progress but may not yet be substantially completed. These projects may be under construction but may not be available for occupancy as of January 1, 2027.

Projects that have previously won a PRISM Award may not be entered again in the same category unless there have been distinct and obvious changes to the project or entry. A previous PRISM Award-winning project may, however, be submitted for consideration in a different category, provided it meets that category’s eligibility requirements.

IMPORTANT FOR 2027

PRISM 2027 represents two years of eligible industry accomplishments.

Since GCBA did not hold a PRISM Awards competition in 2026, members are encouraged to review their outstanding work from both 2025 and 2026 and submit eligible projects and achievements for the 2027 competition.

This is your opportunity to showcase two years of exceptional work and receive recognition from your peers throughout Florida’s building industry.

IMPORTANT DATES

PRISM 2027 Entry Deadline: January 8, 2027
PRISM Awards Gala: May 19, 2027

All entries and required materials must be submitted by the published deadline. Entries with incomplete materials may not be eligible for judging.

HOW TO ENTER

To enter the 2027 PRISM Awards, select the number of entries you plan to submit within each category and submit payment through the GCBA online PRISM Awards portal.

Once payment has been processed, an entry number will be assigned for each paid submission.

Members may submit multiple entries within a category. Each individual entry requires a separate entry fee.

Payment may be made by VISA, MasterCard or American Express.

Entry Deadline: January 8, 2027

To enter, visit: www.gcbaflorida.com/prism-awards

ENTRY FEES

$175 per entry

$495 per Community of the Year Entry
Only GCBA Builder Members are eligible to enter the Community of the Year category.

Sponsorships & Included Entries

Certain PRISM sponsorship packages include entries and/or event tickets as part of the sponsorship benefits.

If you purchase a PRISM sponsorship that includes entries, please contact PRISM Chair Maya Simhon-Chocron at maya@exclusivefl.com before submitting your entries online.

You will be provided with a custom credit code to enter on the PRISM submission site so your included sponsorship entries are properly credited, and you avoid additional charges.

Please obtain and use your custom credit code before completing payment for your entries.

CANCELLATION POLICY

No refunds will be issued for entry fees or event tickets. No exceptions.

STEPS TO ENTER

· Entrants must be a GCBA Member in good standing with a valid membership both at the time of entry and on the award presentation date. Nonmembers may join GCBA to become eligible.

· Complete the Entry Application and pay all applicable entry fees no later than January 8, 2027.

· Submission materials vary by category. It is the responsibility of the entrant to review the requirements for each category and submit all required materials.

· All materials submitted become the property of GCBA and may be used in advertising, publicity, social media, websites, event presentations and other promotion of the PRISM Awards and its winners.

· Licensing: Companies must hold all required state and/or county licenses applicable to the category in which they are entering.

· All entry information and materials must be submitted electronically through the GCBA-designated submission process.

· Eligible entries include qualifying projects, accomplishments and work from 2025 and/or 2026, subject to individual category requirements.

· Photo and General Release disclaimer checked off during entering

· Project entries must be located within the State of Florida.

· Entries may be disqualified if required materials are not uploaded by the deadline.

· NO REFUNDS will be issued for incomplete or disqualified entries.

CATEGORY INFORMATION

PRISM Award categories encompass multiple areas of the residential and commercial building industries, including:

· New Construction Awards

· Remodeling Awards

· Interior Design Awards

· Interior Merchandising Awards

· Architectural Design Awards

· Engineering Awards

· Land Planning

· Craftsmanship / Specialty Detailing Awards

· Marketing & Advertising Awards

· Professional Achievement Awards

· Commercial Categories

· Community of the Year

Entrants should review the individual category descriptions and requirements before submitting an entry.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS – ALL CATEGORIES

Identification of Materials

Uploaded documents and files must be clearly named with the correct entry category and model/address/site, as required.

Company Identification

Use of the company name is restricted in judged materials UNLESS it printed on the plans, brochures, logo entries and so on.

Company names should not appear on entry forms, images, filenames or other judged materials where anonymity is required. Failure to comply may result in elimination from the competition.

Exceptions may apply to residential developments, rental apartment communities, recreational facilities and certain marketing materials such as brochures, websites and signage where identification is inherently part of the entry.

Category Requirements

Different categories have different submission requirements. Entrants are responsible for carefully reviewing all instructions for their selected categories.

Incomplete entries may not be judged or may receive deductions for missing materials.

Project & Impact Statements

Project and Impact Statements are required for entries unless otherwise specified.

Statements should address:

· Project objectives

· Unique challenges

· How objectives were achieved

· Unique or innovative features

· Outstanding characteristics of the project or entry

· Relevant results or successes

Do not include the company name where entrant anonymity is required.

Digital Submissions

All entries must be submitted digitally. No paper copies will be accepted.

All entries must include the applicable Team/Project Information Form.

Digital images should be submitted in JPEG format at a minimum of 150 DPI and approximately 1800 pixels wide.

All PDFs should be submitted in medium resolution. Multi-page PDFs for plans and images are accepted.

IMPORTANT ENTRY DETAILS

Eligible entries include qualifying projects and work from 2025 and/or 2026.

Projects that previously won a PRISM Award may not be entered into the same category in which they previously won unless there have been distinct and obvious changes. Previous winning projects may be considered in another category if they otherwise qualify.

On-the-Board Entries

On-the-Board entries must have received at least one government approval and demonstrate forward progress.

The project may be under construction but may not yet be substantially completed or available for occupancy as of January 1, 2027.

On-the-Board submission materials may include:

· Photography

· Architectural sketches

· Renderings

· Models

· Major community features

· Product types

· Site plans and other supporting materials

NEW CONSTRUCTION

Judging Criteria

New Construction projects will be judged based upon Project Details, Site Preparation, Construction, Materials and Project Management.

Entries will also be evaluated on overall exterior and interior architecture, design appeal, functionality, innovative use of interior space, creative integration of the plan, relationship to the target market and applicable sales success.

Entries should include a minimum of 6–8 images, with no more than 12 images, representing the entry.

Include at least:

· 3 exterior images

· 1 interior image

· Additional supporting images as appropriate

Judging Considerations

1. Project Statement

2. Design Highlights

3. Target Market

4. Special Features and Unique Challenges

5. Site location thoughtfully considered and supports overall goals.

6. Construction Completed as Designed

7. Overall Budget (if applicable)

8. Optional Website Link to Show Judges

New Construction Requirements

· Minimum of 6 photos, images and/or plans.

· Photographs should include front, rear and two side views where applicable.

· Multiple-page PDFs may be submitted for floor plans and drawings.

· Include a short statement describing the project, technology used, goals, challenges and successes.

· No individual document or file may exceed 10 MB.

· All entries must include the applicable Team/Project Information Form.

· Digital images should be high resolution.

Required Materials

1. Project Information Form

2. Photo Release Form

3. Custom/Spec Home Release Form, where applicable

4. Site Plan

5. Floor Plan

6. Up to 12 images, including front elevation and interior views

COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR

GCBA Builder Members Only

Entry Fee: $495

Community of the Year entries should include comprehensive materials allowing judges to evaluate the entire community.

Recommended submission materials include:

· Site plan

· Model home designs

· Community brochures

· Community logo

· Amenities list

· Renderings

· Base price sheet

· Floor plans

· Marketing collateral

· Other materials that assist judges in evaluating the entry

Judging Criteria

1. Project Statement

2. Design Highlights

3. Target Market

4. Special Features and Unique Challenges

5. Site location thoughtfully considered and supports overall goals

6. Site plan supports overall project goals.

7. Construction Completed as Designed

8. Overall Budget (if applicable)

9. Optional Website Link to Show Judges

REMODELING

Remodeling projects will be judged based upon Project Details, Construction, Materials and Project Management.

For renovation and remodeling entries, include at least one BEFORE view.

A maximum of four BEFORE images and approximately 6–8 AFTER images are recommended.

Images should include applicable exterior and interior views and must be clearly identified as BEFORE or AFTER.

Judging Criteria

1. Project Statement

2. Special Features and Unique Challenges

3. Construction completed according to project documents

4. Building Materials

5. Overall Budget (if applicable)

6. Optional Website Link to Show Judges

Purpose

Judges may consider:

· To what degree was the goal or purpose of the project achieved?

· Does the entry clearly identify the client’s needs and desires?

· Does the completed project demonstrate that the client’s needs were met?

Functionality

Judges may evaluate:

· Functionality of the floor plan

· Adequacy of work and counter areas

· Traffic flow

· Safety

· Functionality of materials

· General and task lighting

Innovation

Judges may evaluate:

· Innovative use of materials

· Innovative construction methods

· Creative solutions

· Difficult obstacles that were successfully overcome

Performance

Project cost should include applicable labor and materials, products and services supplied by the customer or other contractors, homeowner-supplied materials and the value of work completed by the homeowner.

Any special circumstances affecting the stated project value should be explained.

INTERIOR DESIGN & INTERIOR MERCHANDISING

Projects will be judged based on:

· Design Preparation

· Quality of Design

· Specification & Procurement

· Project Administration

· Documentation

Requirements

· Minimum of 6 photos, images and/or plans

· High-quality photography representing the complete scope of the entry

· Floor plans and drawings, where applicable

· Short statement describing the project, technology, goals, challenges and successes

· Project/Team Information Form

· Applicable Custom/Spec Home Release Form

· Floor Plan

· Up to 12 images representing the space

Judging Criteria

1. Project Statement

2. Special Features and Unique Clallenges

3. Design Elements

4. Overall Concept & Specifications

5. Overall Budget (if applicable)

6. Optional Website Link to Show Judges

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

Architectural Design entries will be evaluated based on:

· Design Preparation

· Quality of Design

· Environmental Consciousness

· Sustainability and WELL considerations

· Building Specifications & Procurement

· Project Administration

· Documentation

Judging Criteria

1. Project Statement

2. Special Features and Unique Challenges – Goals

3. List appropriate use of Elements of design

4. List the Design uniqueness & originality

5. Project Budget / Timeframe

6. Quality of Drawings if applicable

7. Optional Website Link to Show Judges

Requirements

· Minimum of 6 photos, images and/or plans

· Multiple-page PDFs for floor plans and drawings may be submitted

· Short statement describing the project, technology, goals, challenges and successes

· Project/Team Information Form

· Floor Plan

· Up to 12 images

· Exterior renderings or photographs

ENGINEERING

Site Design & Development entries will be evaluated based on:

· Design Preparation

· Quality of Design

· Environmental Consciousness

· Sustainability and WELL considerations

· Building

· Specifications & Procurement

· Project Administration

· Documentation

Judging Criteria

1. Project Statement

2. Special Features, Unique Challenges, Complexity of Scope

3. Appropriate Building Orientation / Site Plan

4. Budget & Specifications

5. Quality of Engineering Drawings

6. Optional Website Link if applicable

Requirements

· Minimum of 6 high-quality photos, images and/or plans

· Multiple-page PDFs for plans and drawings

· Details and specifications

· Detailed project statement

· Timeline

· Entitlement and permitting challenges, where applicable

· Description of the general environment/site

· Survey or aerial/site identification where applicable

· Landscaping entries should identify percentage of native plants and preservation or creation of natural features, where applicable

· Project/Team Information Form

· Site Plans

CRAFTSMANSHIP

Interior detailing may include specialty items such as trim, molding, stone, brick, drywall and other architectural details incorporated into the construction of the home or project.

Judging Criteria

1. Project Statement

2. Special Features and Unique Challenges

3. Target Market

4. Construction completed according to project documents

5. Overall Budget (if applicable)

6. Optional Website Link to Show Judges

Required Materials

1. Minimum of 6 high-quality photos, images and/or plans

2. Multiple-page PDFs for plans and drawings

3. Details and specifications

4. Floor Plan if applicable

5. Up to 12 images representing the work

MARKETING & ADVERTISING

Marketing and Advertising entries will be judged based on:

· Message

· Quality of Design

· Quantifiable Success

Judging Criteria

1. Project Statement

2. Project Expectations & Results

3. What is the Design Concept - Call-to-Action Messaging

4. Digital Marketing & Video Links

5. Budget

6. Appropriate Use of Design – Based on the attachments provided

7. Branding Consistency – Based on the attachments provided

8. Design Concept – Based on the attachments provided

Requirements

· Photos and/or PDFs of the submission

· Links to digital marketing, where applicable

· Screenshots highlighting important digital elements

· Multiple-page PDFs, where appropriate

· Audio/video files or links for television, radio and video advertising

· Short statement describing scope of work, technology used, goals, challenges and successes

· Sales & Marketing Project Form

· Digital files of the marketing piece

· Publication information for advertisements

· YouTube or Vimeo links are preferred for video submissions where applicable

Technology Entries

Technology entries should include:

1. Link to campaign or website

2. 6–8 images representing the entry – multiple page PDFs are encouraged

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT - INDIVIDUAL

Professional Achievement entries will be judged based on Professional, Personal and Community Achievements.

Judging Criteria

1. Demonstrated Professional Growth

2. Contribution to the Overall Success of the Company

3. Overcoming Challenges

4. Achievement and Contribution to the Building Industry

Requirements

· Professional photograph of the individual and/or team

· Statement of Achievement

· Supporting recommendation, where applicable

· For Sales Achievement Awards, include a list of closed transactions and total sales volume

· Professional of the Year Form

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT – COMPANY

Professional Achievement entries will be judged based on Professional, Personal and Community Achievements.

Judging Criteria

1. Demonstrated Professional Growth

2. Innovation & Excellence

3. Overcoming Challenges

4. Industry & Community Contribution

5. Optional Website Link to Show Judges

Requirements

· Company Logo

· Statement of Achievement

· Supporting recommendation, where applicable

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT – Members doing business with Members

Professional Achievement entries will be judged based on Professional, Personal and Community Achievements.

Judging Criteria

1. How many GCBA members have you worked with during the entry criteria time?

2. What is the outcome of each referral? Please list industry and project scope. Requirements

Requirements

· Entrants Company Logo

FINAL ENTRY CHECKLIST

Before submitting your PRISM 2027 entry, confirm that:

☐ Your GCBA membership is active and in good standing.

☐ Your project, campaign or achievement qualifies under the 2025–2026 eligibility period.

☐ You selected the correct award category.

☐ Your entry application is complete.

☐ Your entry fee has been paid or your applicable sponsorship credit code has been entered.

☐ All required forms have been completed.

☐ Project and Impact Statements are included where required.

☐ Company identification has been removed from judged materials where required.

☐ All photographs and digital materials meet submission specifications.

☐ All files are properly named.

☐ All required plans, renderings or supporting documents are included.

☐ Your complete entry is submitted no later than January 8, 2027.

SAVE THE DATE

PRISM 2027 AWARDS GALA

May 19, 2027

Join the Gold Coast Builders Association as we celebrate excellence, innovation and achievement throughout Florida’s building industry.

QUESTIONS

PRISM Chair
Maya Simhon-Chocron
Broker Owner | Realtor®
Exclusive Florida Real Estate
954-695-4047
maya@exclusivefl.com