---

RULES

RINLA Professional Excellence Awards will be presented at the Winter Conference and Trade Show on February 26, 2025.

The landscape awards program is one of the best ways for you to market your company’s expertise and creativity!

RINLA’s Professional Excellence Awards are one of the valuable resources RINLA offers to its members. The awards are peer recognition of the remarkable work being done in the design, construction, and maintenance of landscapes. It is a chance to showcase your projects and earn the respect and admiration of peers and clients alike.

There is something for every type and size of member company!

Awards are grouped by the size and scale of projects.

We feel this format makes entries more accessible to all RINLA member companies, no matter what type of projects they work on. Each entry is evaluated using a set of criteria; the submissions are not judged against each other.

Entries may be for residential, commercial, or public installations and may include any or all of the following features: plantings, hardscapes, structures, water features, lighting, sustainability, or specialty features.

Category 1 – Projects Valued < $50,000
Category 2 – Projects Valued $50,001 to $250,000
Category 3 – Projects Valued > $250,000

Whether your company focuses on design, installation, landscape management, hardscape, pools, environmental resiliency and adaptation, lighting – or anything else – we encourage you to enter.

Any project completed within the last five years (2020–2024) is eligible. You can submit as many entries as you like and the entry fee of $50 remains the same as it has been in previous years.

There is not a predetermined number of awards to be presented. The judges may recommend any number of entries to receive an award. This is a tremendous opportunity for you to gain recognition for your hard work – as well as free publicity!

---

JUDGING CRITERIA

A jury of professionals from various segments of the green industry will be assembled to judge the award entries. Submissions are judged on their own merits and scored individually. Judges will be asked to rate the projects on the following criteria:

Client / Project Goals – 25 Points
• Does your project meet the client’s goals and objectives?
• Is the project sensitive to the environment and the site’s potential?
• Will the client’s goals for maintenance be realized? (if applicable)

Design and Creativity – 25 Points
• Are the design elements (scale, balance, unity, etc.) used appropriately?
• Does the project fit with its surroundings (buildings and landforms) or is it clearly separated intentionally?
• Does the plant material work horticulturally and aesthetically with the project? (if applicable)
• Are natives or edibles used where appropriate?
• Are elevations dealt with and managed well?
• What is the quality of the hardscaping materials and finish work? (if applicable)
• Does the hardscape enhance the project or look out of place or scale? (if applicable)

Degree of Difficulty – 25 Points
• What is the degree of difficulty and how was it addressed/solved?
• Does the choice of materials – both plant and hardscape, as applicable – enhance the design?
• How well were the hardscaping details executed? (ex.: elevation changes, stone cuts, finished carpentry, etc.) (if applicable)
• Are best management practices used throughout the property/landscape (where applicable for plantings, pavers / hardscaping, irrigation, stormwater management, sustainability, and ecological impact/mitigation)?

Overall Effect – 25 Points
• Is the overall quality and appearance of the project successful?
• Does the project display professionalism in the quality of workmanship?
• What is outstanding about this project, and/or what are the project’s drawbacks?
• Why would you either award or not award this project?
• What is the overall success of this property/landscape? (if applicable)

Projects will be individually scored based on the above criteria. Projects are awarded as follow:
Excellence Award – 95-100 points
Honor Award – 85-95 points
Merit Award – 75-85 points

---

INSTRUCTIONS

1. This year’s entries are in digital format only – please complete form on the link below.

2. Check only one box for the project category you are entering. Any project completed within the last 5 years (2020 – 2024) is eligible.

3. Awards entries are open to RINLA members only. A project that has previously won a RINLA award may not be re-submitted.

4. Submit a description of the project in Word format – not to exceed 500 words. The project description must note your company’s role in the project – design, installation, maintenance, or a combination of these. Also include any special circumstances, problems or unique solutions, functionality, budget limitations, site conditions, client’s goals and objectives, or other pertinent information that helps to tell the project story.

5. Submit up to 12 photos of the project in .jpg or .png format. Note: Images must not contain any identifying information, i.e. trucks or equipment showing company name or logo, etc. Send photo descriptions in Word format, labeled to match names on photo file. Photo descriptions should be concise and are limited to 20 words or less for each photo. 

6. All entries and photos become the property of RINLA and may be used by RINLA for publicity and/or information purposes.

7. All entries are juried anonymously by industry professionals.

8. Entry fee is $50 per entry. You can submit payment with your online registration or make checks payable to RINLA and mail to RINLA, PO Box 984, West Kingston, RI 02892. Your entry will not be considered as complete until payment is received.

9. All entries and payment must be received by Friday, January 18, 2025.

10. Questions may be directed to: executivedirector@rinla.org or call the RINLA office at 401-781-0281.