A new national awards programme - the New Zealand Commercial Project Awards - will recognise New Zealand’s top commercial buildings and the teams behind them.

An evolution of the RMB Commercial Project Awards first launched in 2006, the awards are open to all New Zealand commercial contractors and their construction partners including architects, engineers and property owners/developers.

Awards spokesperson Greg Pritchard says the New Zealand Commercial Project Awards represent an opportunity for the industry to showcase the whole team behind some of New Zealand’s best commercial building initiatives.

"There was a need for a credible, aspirational, whole of sector awards programme recognising not only the structure or a single person but the entire team behind the project."

Mr Pritchard says the awards are set to become New Zealand’s leading commercial construction awards programme, and will celebrate and encourage excellence in building and design practices across the sector.

All entrants in these awards will vie for gold, silver and bronze awards as well as national category wins and the coveted supreme award. The categories include awards for the best restoration, retail, commercial and civic, industrial, tourism and leisure, education, health and residential projects. There are also four value based awards categories ranging from projects under two million dollars through to over $15 million.

Buildings that were completed after 28 February 2010 and have a certificate of practical completion by 26 October 2012 are eligible to enter the awards. Entries open online at www.commercialprojectawards.co.nz on Monday 20 August 2012. Entries close Friday 26 October 2012, with winners announced at a national gala event in Auckland in May 2013.

This year’s awards programme is sponsored by industry heavyweights PlaceMakers, James Hardie, NALCO, GIB and Allied Concrete.