Yearbook of Engineering Achievement (YEA) Award FAQs

The excitement is building and the questions are flying. In an effort to ensure interested participants have the information they need to start thinking about which project entries are the most suitable, we’ve gathered together a common list of FAQs for a one-stop resource. 

Common FAQs

What types of projects should be submitted?

Think – elevation. YEA showcases AEC projects that have positively advanced the industry through community and environmental impact, innovative technical processes, or groundbreaking vision and execution. Firms from any field within the AEC industry are invited to submit projects from any of the following five categories: 

1. Housing/Residential
2. Transportation/Infrastructure
3. Water/Stormwater/Wastewater
4. Environmental/Sustainability
5. Small Firm (fewer than 50 employees)

So, if you have a project (or three) that you’re confident has contributed to making the world just a little better place to be, we’re confident that you should start putting your submission (s) together. 

Can the project be located outside the United States?

Yes. We accept international entries.  

How will the winners be selected?

There will be an online voting period and winners will be selected based on the decisions of a jury of industry peers and colleagues. During this period, voters will be encouraged to vote for the project they think demonstrates the best of the best from the AEC industry in 2023. Website visitors can vote once per day, and winners will be selected based on the number of votes received over a two-week voting period (Oct. 27-Nov. 10). Each of the winning projects will be displayed on the Civil+Structural Engineer Magazine website and the Summit Project will be featured on the magazine’s December issue cover. The Summit Award is reserved for the project that receives the highest number of votes during the voting period.  

What is the deadline for submitting a project?

October 18, 2023.

Can multiple projects be submitted?

Firms are eligible to submit any project completed, or scheduled to be completed, within the 2023 calendar year, but only one project per firm can win. 

How are projects submitted? 

It’s simple. There’s a project information form that asks questions (i.e., location, work dates, budget, team, etc.). There’s space to add media links for project photos and videos. That’s it. There is no fee to enter.  

When will winners be notified?

The winning projects will be announced in the December 2023 issue of Civil+Structural Engineer Magazine, but winners will receive a congratulatory email prior to its release. They will also be provided with press materials to help them promote their win. 

Who were the past YEA winners and why?

Since YEA is only in its third year, we have two Summit Award winners to share with you. In 2021, SCS Engineers received the award for a corporate business park in Florida. Voters were excited about the redevelopment and repurposing of this project. The firm turned a former landfill into a 30-acre state-of-the-art corporate park, with business and logistic centers. The project benefited the economy, created local jobs, and provided significant environmental benefits. In 2022, HNTB submitted a project that received more than 2,000 votes making it the clear winner. Its project–The Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement–was the largest and most complex bridge building project in the history of Los Angeles. This 3,500-foot bridge spans the LA River and the 101 Freeway, local surface roads as well as 18 railroad tracks operated by five different railroad agencies including Union Pacific and Metrolink. Its network tied arch structure incorporates wide sidewalks, bike lanes and artistic lighting. There’s even a 12-acre park underneath it all. Overall, it will enhance the region’s mobility for cyclists and pedestrians, alike. 

Why should I be excited about YEA? 

This is a question that should be at the top of mind. YEA brings together the best and the brightest in the AEC industry and gives firms a chance to showcase those projects that really make them shine. It also gives firms a chance to compete and see how they stack up in the eyes of other industry leaders. And, whether or not you win, you still get bragging rights because your projects are all part of a grander mission–to elevate the AEC industry.  

We’re excited to get this year’s competition underway, so if you have any other questions about the submission process that haven’t been answered here, contact: Luke Carothers  at: lcarothers@zweiggroup.com. 

For more information about the contest and to submit your entry visit: https://csengineermag.com/yea/.