Assessment Process

Assessors are volunteers who generously donate their time, knowledge and expertise to support the Civic Trust Awards scheme. They come from many disciplines such as architecture, universal design/access, community groups, planners, engineers, journalism, marketing and students. 
Each Assessor is responsible for providing feedback for the projects they have visited and a recommendation of Regional Finalist or Unsuccessful.

The Assessor Team consider the architectural  merits of the scheme, as well as other aspects of design such as sustainability, accessibility, and civic contribution. Successful projects should be designed with the needs of all users in mind and delivered a positive social, cultural, economic, or environmental benefit to the local community.
Judging is blind, with access provided to the Assessors by someone based at the scheme such as the client or owner, to ensure complete impartiality.

Feedback and recommendations, as well as all application materials submitted, is then ratified by the Civic Trust Awards National Judging Panel, which consists of a group of experts in their respective fields. The shortlist of Regional Finalists is announced in November, and from these the National and International Civic Trust Awards and Highly Commended winners are chosen.

Feedback is offered to all unsuccessful applicants and the decision made by the National Judging Panel is final.

International Civic Trust Awards entries are desk assessed by the CTA National Judging Panel.  AABC Conservation Award entries are desk assessed by the Conservation Awards National Judging Panel who are a group of specialist conservation representatives from the AABC.

PLEASE NOTE:
It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that you have entered your project into the correct category.

Should your project be entered into the incorrect category, then it will be deemed unsuccessful. 

Where scheme visits are to take place, Assessors  should not be accompanied by the applicant or architect during the visit. 
The scheme should be available to be visited at any time during September and October and applicants must ensure that schemes have been notified and are aware that the oroject has bren entered.

If the scheme isn’t accessible on the date/time provided by the  Assessment Team, the visit may be deferred to the following year or the project desk assessed.

The Awards Programme

June - July: Application round is open and entries are submitted online.

August: Applications are processed and Assessors are allocated to Regional Assessment Teams

Sept - Oct: Assessment Visits take place (CTA and Pro-Tem entries). 
Feedback and recommendations is submitted and ratified by the National Judging Panel.

November: Applicants are notified if their projects have been shortlisted as Regional Finalists or deemed unsuccessful.

December: From the shortlist of Regional Finalists the National and International Civic Trust Awards and Highly Commended projects are chosen.

January: Applicants are notified if their projects has been selected as a National/international Winner, or if it has remained as a Regional Finalist.   If the project is a National/International Winner all organisations involved are invited to the Civic Trust Awards Ceremony to celebrate their success.

The level of reward - Award or Highly Commended is only revealed at the Ceremony, and not before. 

March: The Awards Ceremony takes place at the end of March each year (date & venue tbc). 
This is a black tie event, with drinks reception, dinner and presentation. Tickets go on sale in January and it is always a sold out event.