Competition Rules

The overall purpose of this event is to honor and recognize the talent of the NKBA Ottawa Chapter area designers. This recognition of talent will expose these award winning designers (and the companies they work for) to the public through media coverage and social media exposure.

Process

Submit a completed Application Form, select the category (or categories - up to a maximum of three) along with your payment for the appropriate category(ies) that “best” suits your project(s).

  • Each submission will be checked by a non-competing member of the NKBA Ottawa Chapter DEA Committee to verify eligibility and package criteria completion. In the event, an entrant has included information that is outside of the defined criteria an opportunity will be provided to correct the documents with a separate deadline. If the entry does not meet the criteria it will be removed from the competition.
  • Deadline to Reserve submission(s) with payment and Category Selections –
    • Early Bird Deadline: December 31, 2023 @ 5:00 pm.
    • Final Application Deadline: 11:59pm, March 2, 2025. This submission is to include your Application + Payment + Category(s). You will receive a confirmation of payment and receipt.
  • Deadline for Project Submission – 11:59pm, March 2, 2025 (electronic submission for: PHOTOS, DRAWINGS, STATEMENT & RELEASE DOCUMENTS added to your entry profile on the Awardify platform). Make sure ALL photos meet the requirements (see below for details) and drawings are to the NKBA Graphics and Presentation Standards.
  • All winning entries will be featured at the NKBA Ottawa Chapter Design Excellence Awards (DEA) Gala on May 4, 2024 at the National Arts Centre. The final purchase date for Gala tickets is April 21, 2023 at 11:59pm.

Eligibility, includes but is not limited to:

  • The competition is open to all current NKBA Ottawa Chapter members (individuals, individuals of companies). 
  • In order to maintain fair competition, entrants may be asked to submit proof confirming project costs (consumer price) to verify the category that their project has been entered into is correct.
  • All entrants must be members in good standing at the time of application submission and throughout the duration of the competition (up to and including May 4th, 2024). Any entrants found not to have a current membership will be required to bring their membership status up to date immediately, in order to continue in the competition and not be disqualified. 
  • Each Entrant MUST attend live or submit proof of attendance for the virtual recording of the “DEA Orientation Meeting” -date December 18th, 2023.
  • Co-Designers – a co-designer is defined as any individual who has provided significant design collaboration in the DESIGN of the project. This is not a supplier, fabricator providing materials, contractor or installer. 
    • All Co-submitters must be current NKBA Members. 
    • Co-designers should be a person/persons who assisted in the DESIGN of the space. This does not include parties involved in implementing a project such as: contractors, fabricators, or suppliers unless they directly contributed substantial input into the overall design. As a design competition it is the purpose to recognize and award the designers of our chapter and although each project has many collaborators, co-submissions should be restricted to design collaboration only. 
  • NKBA volunteers and committee members are not restricted from entering the competition. They will however, be restricted from activities that may be considered a conflict of interest (ie. verifying entrants compliance, ordering trophies etc.)
  • All entries must be sold and installed in the NKBA Ottawa Chapter Area/Region. For more details of the NKBA Ottawa Chapter Region which includes the 613/343, 819, 514/438, 450/579 area codes (see map for clarification on last page). Projects submitted from outside of the region will be disqualified (i.e. Florida, Toronto, etc.). The original bill of sale for the project may be requested upon confirmation of final submission to verify category criteria eligibility.
  • No company or designer information will be allowed on any entry documents viewed by the judges. Application form(s) and release documents are not viewed by the judging panel. Entries will be disqualified if any information identifying the designer, designer's company, client name or project address on the entry material including,but not limited to, photos and design documents. 
  • Project Names must NOT include client names, street names or any other information that can reference the identity of a project. For example, Main Street Kitchen is NOT acceptable.
  • All eligible projects must have been completed between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023. All others will be disqualified.
  • There is a maximum of THREE entries per designer (total) and a limit of ONE entry per category. No exceptions. In the event that two categories are being blended (due to low entry) and a designer has an entry in each of the categories being combined both entries can remain unless the designer would like to select another category (must meet the criteria) or withdraw one of the entries (refund provided)
  • Failure to comply with all rules and requirements may result in disqualification. No refunds are provided for disqualified entries.
  • In the event, a category has a low number of entrants; the NKBA Design Excellence Gala Committee reserves the right to combine entries into similar categories (bathrooms with bathrooms, kitchens with kitchens) to maintain the element of competition. The judges have the option to re-categorize combined entries.
  • All entries must be submitted by the designer on record ONLY. If a co-designer, collaborator, cabinet designer or any other involved in the project must be authorized or submitted by the original creator of the design. If an entry is discovered to have been falsely submitted the entrant will be banned from future competition (up to 5 years), and may have their NKBA membership revoked (based on NKBA Code of Ethics and further investigation). The NKBA, NKBA Ottawa Chapter, and the Design Excellence Awards Committee will not tolerate any misrepresentation of designs, breach of intellectual property or circumstance of fraudulent claims as per the Code of Conduct.
  • Please note that for 2025 DEA entrants - to be eligible ALL entrants must attend at least TWO – NKBA Ottawa Chapter meeting events (DEA Gala is not eligible) plus the Orientation meeting in order to qualify for participation in the 2025 Design Excellence Awards Competition. This will be mandatory for 2025.

Drawings

  • All submitted drawings need to meet the NKBA Graphic and Presentation Standards
  • Drawings MUST be to SCALE. ½”=1' or the metric equivalent 1:24 AND scale must be noted on each page
  • Dimensions (as per the NKBA GPS) are on three strings - overall wall dimension, centerline dimensions of all fixtures along that wall and cabinets and architectural elements
  • Hand drafted or CAD drawings are accepted as long as all criteria is met
  • Title blocks MUST NOT include the name of the client, designer or company names or logos. Any drawings with this information will be disqualified.
  • Legends, cabinet details, and appliance information should be as per NKBA GPS and can be included on a separate sheet from the referenced page (i.e floorplan/MEP)
  • The recommended drawings to be included in the suggested order are:
    • Floorplan
    • Cabinet, Fixture, Fittings, and equipment schedule (may be on a separate sheet or included in floor plan)
    • As built/existing plan (where applicable)
    • Demolition Plan and Construction Plan (may be combined on a single plan)
    • MEP plan
    • Elevations (with appropriate matching indicators referenced on floor plan)
  • Elevating the quality of the drawings provided allows the judges a clearer representation of a designer's skills and capabilities. This is not an attestation to a designers' or companies business practices, but a direct relationship to providing critical information in a clear and concise format. The drawings will also increase a designer's skills and eligibility for other competitions and certification endeavors.
  • Guidelines for submission expectations will be reviewed in detail during the “DEA Submission Orientation Meeting” (December 18th, 2023). It is the sole responsibility of the entrant to attend this meeting and is an eligibility requirement for submission into the DEA competition.

Design Statements: are to outline challenges, solutions and justifications of guidelines not accomplished. There should be a beginning, middle and end describing the process of the project. Personal information regarding the client is highly discouraged and details other than design-relevant information should be kept minimal. Short sentences and point form encouraged. A second statement of 20-45 word overview should must be included and will be used during the awards ceremony to describe winning entries.

Photos

  • Must NOT include logos, people, or pets.
  • Should be high resolution
  • Must NOT include the name of the client or location of the project in the file name
  • Show the project from all angles
  • Before and After categories MUST include a “BEFORE” photo (minimum of 1 photo)
  • The project must be completed between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 and be within the NKBA Ottawa Chapter Region (including the 613/343 area code, Gatineau 819/873, Montreal 514/438 and 450/579).

Deadline for entries:

Application/Submission Deadlines: (Application, Payment, Category(ies) selection)

  • Early Bird Savings: December 31, 2023 @ 5:00 pm
  • Final Application Deadline: January 31, 2024 @ 5:00 pm
  • Project Submission Deadline March 4, 2024 @ 11:59 pm (electronic submission through Awardify Platform of ALL Photos, Drawings, Statement & Release Documents)
  • Failure to comply with the above requirements may result in disqualification
  • All entries must be submitted by the designer on record ONLY. If a co-designer, collaborator, cabinet designer or any other involved in the project must be authorized or submitted by the original creator of the design. If an entry is discovered to have been falsely submitted the entrant will be banned from future competition (up to 5 years), and may have their NKBA membership revoked (based on NKBA Code of Ethics and further investigation). The NKBA, NKBA Ottawa Chapter, and the Design Excellence Awards Committee will not tolerate any misrepresentation of designs, breach of intellectual property or circumstance of fraudulent claims as per the NKBA Code of Conduct.