Awards guide · Alberta & Saskatchewan
BILD Edmonton Awards Photo Guide: Image Rules, Deadlines and How to Enter
For entrants planning the photography for BILD Edmonton Metro Awards of Excellence. Checked against BILD Edmonton Metro’s published rules on November 1, 2026.
The BILD Edmonton Metro Awards of Excellence are open only to BILD Edmonton Metro members, for work in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. Entries for the 2027 awards closed October 28, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. MST, and the next call is not published. Photos must be high-definition JPEGs at 16:9, horizontal only and at least 2,000 px, and any artist or AI rendering means immediate disqualification.
At a glance
| BILD Edmonton Awards | |
|---|---|
| Organiser | BILD Edmonton Metro |
| Who can enter | BILD Edmonton Metro members in good standing throughout the competition (no outstanding invoices) |
| Where | Work must target, operate or be built in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region |
| Eligible projects (2027 awards) | Single family, multi-family, renovation, advertising and sales: completed or running October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026. Development: October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2026. |
| Entry platform | Awards Force (bildedmonton.awardsplatform.com) |
| Fee (2027 awards) | $225 + GST per entry. Builder, Developer, Renovator and General Member of the Year: free. Credit card, cheque or EFT. |
| Entry limits | Up to 3 submissions per award |
| Next deadline | Not published. The 2027 awards closed October 28, 2026, 12:00 p.m. MST. |
Source: 2027 Awards of Excellence page, AOE Submission Guide.
Key dates
| Date | |
|---|---|
| Entries open (2027 awards) | August 5, 2026, 12:00 p.m. MST |
| Deadline (2027 awards) | October 28, 2026, 12:00 p.m. MST (closed) |
| Review and judging | November 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027 |
| Finalists announced | January 15, 2027 |
| Gala and winners | Saturday, April 17, 2027 |
Photo requirements
| Rule | |
|---|---|
| File format | High-definition JPEG; JPEG or PNG preferred. No web-resolution photos. |
| Size and resolution | At least 2,000 pixels in width or height, at 72 DPI or higher |
| Orientation | 16:9 aspect ratio, horizontal only. Vertical photos are not used in the finalist and winner videos. |
| How many | Single family, multi-family and renovation: up to 10 items in total, and floor plans, site plans and construction drawings count toward the 10. Garden/Secondary Suite: photos of the suite only. |
| Required shots | No shot list is set. Single-family and multi-family entries must not include basement photos; they will be removed. |
| Staging, renderings and AI | No artist or AI renderings; using them means immediate disqualification. Digital staging of soft goods only (furniture, rugs, décor), never hard goods such as light fixtures, faucets, cabinetry or flooring. Staged images count only if the untouched originals are emailed to [email protected] before the deadline. |
| Logos, names and people | Company logos must be removed from images. The company name must be redacted from photos, floor plans and materials where this can reasonably be done; advertising entries are exempt. |
| Credit and permissions | A signed Homeowner Permission Form (PDF) is required for renovation entries and customer homes; the project name must match the entry. The form also covers BILD Alberta and CHBA National entries and cannot be revoked. |
Categories
The 2027 awards are grouped into Advertising, Sales, Development, General Member, Renovation (5 awards), Multi-Family (8, including Garden/Secondary Suite), Single Family (13 price and infill bands) and Industry Leader awards such as Builder of the Year. The photo-heavy awards are Single Family, Multi-Family, Renovation and the sales and design centre awards.
How to enter
- Confirm the entrant is a BILD Edmonton Metro member in good standing and the project falls in the eligibility window.
- Read the AOE Submission Guide and the criteria for each award; if they differ from Awards Force, the platform applies.
- Sign in to Awards Force (bildedmonton.awardsplatform.com) and complete the online form for each award.
- Upload up to 10 images and plans, the price specification sheet (single and multi-family), the company logo and, where needed, the Homeowner Permission Form.
- If any image is digitally staged, email the untouched originals to [email protected] before the deadline.
- Check out and pay before the deadline; entries are judged only after payment.
How entries are judged
- An impartial panel of judges from outside Alberta scores the entries, and Doane Grant Thornton reviews the results for accuracy.
- Single family, multi-family and renovation weighting: description 40%, creativity and innovation 20%, evaluation and success metrics 10%, award materials and attachments (photos and plans) 30%.
- A category runs only with at least two entries from two different companies; one project may enter several categories but cannot win in two.
Planning the photography
- Plan for the 10-item cap: floor plans and drawings count toward it, so each plan included means one photo fewer.
- Compose every frame for a 16:9 horizontal crop, since vertical photos are not used in the finalist and winner videos.
- Leave basements out of single-family and multi-family sets; basement photos are removed.
- Stage with real furniture where possible; if soft goods are added digitally, keep the untouched originals so they can be emailed before the deadline.
- For a garden or secondary suite entry, photograph the suite only.
Not in the published rules
As of November 1, 2026 the organiser’s public documents do not state:
- Dates and fees for the next (2028) awards
- Maximum file size
- Photographer credit or consent requirements
- Whether people may appear in photos
- A required shot list
- How the 10 items should be split between before and after photos for renovations
- File-naming rules
Check the entry platform or ask the organiser before the shoot.
Using this as a photo brief
I photograph architecture and interiors in British Columbia, so for a project outside BC this page works best as a brief for a local architectural photographer. Send them the photo rules above, the categories you plan to enter and the deadline, and ask for:
- A shot list built from the category criteria, one image for each thing the judges score.
- Files exported to the BILD Edmonton Awards spec, already named and counted per category.
- A licence that covers the organiser’s promotional use of winning images, plus a ready credit line.
The awards photo calendar lists the other programmes the same photos can be re-exported for.
Frequently asked questions
When is the BILD Edmonton Metro Awards of Excellence deadline?
Entries for the 2027 BILD Edmonton Metro Awards of Excellence closed October 28, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. MST, after opening August 5, 2026. The next call has not been published; the 2027 gala is April 17, 2027.
How many photos can I submit to the BILD Edmonton Awards of Excellence?
Single-family, multi-family and renovation entries in the BILD Edmonton Metro Awards of Excellence take up to 10 items in total. Floor plans, site plans and construction drawings count toward those 10.
Are AI images or virtual staging allowed in the BILD Edmonton Awards?
No artist or AI renderings are accepted in the BILD Edmonton Metro Awards of Excellence, and using them means immediate disqualification. Digital staging is allowed for soft goods such as furniture, rugs and décor only, and the untouched originals must be emailed to BILD Edmonton Metro before the deadline.
What format do BILD Edmonton award photos need to be?
The BILD Edmonton Metro Awards of Excellence ask for high-definition JPEGs at a 16:9 ratio, horizontal only, at least 2,000 pixels in width or height at 72 DPI or higher. Company logos must be removed from every image.
This guide summarises BILD Edmonton Metro’s published rules and is not affiliated with BILD Edmonton Metro. The official documents take precedence.