Exemplar Sustainable Building Awards 2025: Finalists Revealed!

The Exemplar Sustainable Building Awards has just dropped the hotly anticipated shortlist of finalists. This year’s contenders are designing, building, and innovating for a climate-conscious future.

From retrofit revolutions, next-gen materials, and initiatives driving systematic change across the UK. Each category features three exceptional finalists who have shown what’s possible when people-focused climate action and good design collide.

Key trends

Passivhaus: The vast majority of the projects shortlisted have achieved Passivhaus or EnerPHit certification or use the Passivhaus methodology in design and construction.
Occupant comfort: Monitoring of the shortlisted projects shows high levels of occupant satisfaction and comfort.
Embodied carbon: Projects and products built from or made with materials with low embodied carbon feature widely in the shortlist.
Cost savings: A standout feature of all shortlisted projects is the ultra-low running costs demonstrated in building performance monitoring, with energy costs as low as £2/m²/year.

Judges view

"The judging process has opened my eyes to the sheer variety of innovations and established technologies at our disposal for buildings and product choices. It’s reinforced my belief that the time to build cost effectively and sustainably is now".

Mark Lynn, Eden Renewable Innovations Ltd

"I am always interested in the fact that whilst judges reach consensus on some projects, other entries split us like Marmite. We almost certainly demand more hard evidence than other awards, but there is still plenty of room for subjective opinion and value judgements, even when judging hard data."

Nick Grant, Elemental Solutions

Who is your winner?

Whether you’re a developer, designer, planner, homeowner, climate activist, or just someone who dreams of sustainable living, this shortlist is packed with inspiration.

And here’s the best part: YOU get to help choose the winners!

Join us at the Awards Ceremony on the 24 June for a fun, free online celebration of all things sustainable and spectacular in the built environment. Cast your vote, cheer on the finalists, and be part of a one-off event. Let’s recognise the projects shaping our sustainable building — and celebrate the people making it happen. Register now and secure your vote.