The Smart Building of the Year Award celebrates what is possible in the built environment when smart planning, design, construction, operations, and technology work together to foster positive outcomes for a project owner, occupants, the community, and the environment. Projects are evaluated based on their demonstration of innovative and successful sustainable and resilient design principles, systems integration, IT and OT technologies, and measures to support the health and well-being of their occupants and beyond.

The recipient of the first-ever SBOTY Award is the PAE Living Building, in Portland, Ore. Realized through a developer-led funding model, the five-story, 58,000-square-foot mixed-use building is designed to last 500 years through its strategic design, which integrates smart systems to monitor its energy and water independence, a seismic-resilient structure, durable and nontoxic materials, and biophilic, nature-inspired design principles. Additionally, the PAE Living Building benefits the surrounding community, contributing renewable energy to a nearby affordable housing project. The project’s key players include developer Edlen & Co., ZGF Architects, Walsh Construction Co., and MEP engineer and technology designer PAE.