How to Enter the E+E Leader Awards

Congratulations to our 2025 Award Winners, officially revealed on April 1, 2025!

As we celebrate this year's outstanding innovations, we’re excited to look ahead to our 14th season.

If you're interested in submitting for the 2026 E+E Leader Awards, you’re in the right place. Below you’ll find everything you need to know to get started.

Key Dates for the 2026 Awards Season

Submissions Open: July 1, 2025

Final Submission Deadline: December 19, 2025

Winner Notifications Sent: on or before March 2, 2026

Public Announcement: April 2026

Award Categories

The E+E Leader Awards celebrate excellence across both product and project innovations that are advancing clean energy and environmental leadership across industries.

Explore the six categories below to determine the best fit for your submission:

Product Categories

Business + Infrastructure
For hardware and physical technologies designed for commercial, industrial, or campus settings. Examples include advanced HVAC systems, lighting, manufacturing equipment, and architectural solutions that enhance energy and environmental performance.

Consumer + Residential
Highlights sustainability efforts in consumer-facing sectors such as retail, restaurants, and home goods. Eligible entries include green products, energy-efficient appliances, sustainable packaging, or behind-the-scenes operational improvements.

Software + Cloud
Celebrates innovative software and cloud-based technologies driving measurable results in energy management, sustainability, and operational efficiency. Emphasize unique capabilities, scalability, and impact.

Project Categories

Energy Innovation
Recognizes projects focused on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and innovative energy management practices—from solar arrays and EV infrastructure to next-gen building systems.

Environmental Impact
For projects aligned with ESG principles and focused on reducing environmental footprints or improving social equity and governance outcomes.

Software Implementation
Focuses on successful software deployment projects in corporate, campus, facility, or residential settings. Judges will evaluate the strategy, integration, and impact—not just the software itself.

Entry Fee

Each submission carries a fee of $795, which solely covers administrative costs associated with judging and awards process. Our aim is to keep the program accessible for companies of all sizes.

Eligibility & Submitting Multiple Entries

• You may submit multiple products or projects for consideration.
• Repeat entries are encouraged. Many organizations improve and refine their submissions over time, leading to future wins.

Judging Process

• All submissions are reviewed by an independent panel of expert judges from across the energy and environmental sectors.
• Judging is anonymous to ensure fairness and objectivity.
• Each entry is scored on a 1–5 scale across multiple criteria such as innovation, measurability of results, scalability and relevance. A composite score of 4.0 or higher qualifies as a winner.
• To maximize your score, focus on metrics, outcomes, and results—entries that clearly demonstrate impact tend to score best. Qualititative impacts and future potential are also considered, particularly for newer initiatives.

If You Don’t Win

• All participants—winners and non-winners—will be notified by early March.
• We share confidential, anonymized feedback from the judging panel to every entrant, including those that do not score a win. This feedback is intended to support future program participation and continuous improvement. 
• Your submission and scoring results remain confidential and are not shared publicly.

What Winners Receive

Winners benefit from:

• A press kit with a boilerplate press release, quotes from judges, and the official E+E Leader Award badge
• Featured promotion throughout the year on the E+E Leader website, the E+E Leader Awards site, newsletters, and across our social media platforms
• Recognition during the NAEM Conference 
• The opportunity to order custom trophies and plaques 

Winning also provides long-term value, including:

• Increased brand recognition
• Third-party validation
• Enhanced employee morale
• Competitive differentiation
• Media and PR opportunities