Architecture at Zero 2020 Competition

***Competition Update: Registration and Submission deadline is May 20th, 2020 at 6pm PST.***

CHALLENGE

The 2020 Architecture at Zero competition challenge is to create a zero net energy library for the San Benito County Free Library in Hollister, CA.

Entrants are encouraged to highlight any energy efficiency strategies or systems shown. In order to demonstrate the building design and its performance, entrants will provide required documentation and may also include supplementary documentation. The preferred solution is an all electric zero net energy library. The preferred solution will not include natural gas and will use electric power.

ELIGIBILITY

This competition is open to students, architects, landscape architects, urban planners, engineers and designers anywhere in the world.

AWARDS AND JUDGING

Up to $25,000 in total prize money will be awarded to student and professional winners.

Entries are judged on the presentation board highlighting the project and the supplementary documentation. A separate review panel will convene to jury the technical components, which will result in a Technical Evaluation provided to the Jury. The Jury will determine the winners from all submissions. The Technical Evaluation is not the sole criterion on which entries will be judged but acts as a complement to the overall project design evaluation.

Entries are weighed individually, not in competition with others. Jury decisions will be based solely on the materials submitted. Criteria include quality of design, resolution of the program or idea, innovation, thoughtfulness, and technique.

Winners will be announced in June 2020. Details forthcoming.

DEADLINES

• Registration and Submission deadline is May 20, 2020 at 6:00 pm PST. 

Students must complete the registration form. Please note that the Architecture at Zero competition uses an electronic registration process. If you are submitting multiple projects, you will need to register each project separately.

All submissions shall become the property of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), which reserves the right to exhibit and reproduce any of the submissions. By submitting a project, the entrant agrees to all Terms and Conditions outlined in the Architecture at Zero Terms and Conditions.  In any public use of the submissions, credit will be given to the design team. All submissions are final.

Competition entries will be juried by international experts including Paul Torcellini, Principal Engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Gregg Ander, President of Gregg D. Ander, LLC; Allison Williams, FAIA; and Marsha Maytum, FAIA, LEED AP. 

To learn more, visit www.architectureatzero.com

*This program is funded by California utility customers and administered by PG&E under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission