There are 17 UDIA National Awards for Excellence categories, including the Project of the Year award which is bestowed to the project judged to be the best of the best from the winning entrants of the development categories.
Entry is by nomination of the state divisions of UDIA, with each division entitled to nominate one project from their state award winners into the National Awards.
Young Leaders’ Award
The UDIA National Young Leaders’ Award for Excellence acknowledges and promotes the positive contribution young property professionals make to the property industry.
UDIA encourages young professionals across all disciplines of the development industry from both the public and private sectors to enter, including developers, contractors, consultants and those involved in property services.
Read more for Eligibility and Award Criteria
Eligibility
To be eligible for the UDIA National Young Leaders Award applicants must:
- be employed by a current member of the UDIA in the relevant state (includes company membership)
- be under 35 years of age as of Wednesday, 31 December 2025
- be based in Australia and be available for an interview, and
- have a minimum of five years’ experience in the development industry or an associated industry (predominantly in Australia).
Award Criteria
Nominees must address each of the three questions below:
- Provide examples of your leadership qualities and indicate how you have demonstrated these qualities throughout your career.
- Describe how you act as a role model to other professionals.
- Detail the positive contributions that you have made to your organisation/the development industry, above and beyond your job role.
Women in Leadership Award
The Women in Leadership Award acknowledges and promotes the positive contribution of women to the development industry in Australia. UDIA National encourages professionals from across all disciplines of the development industry, from both the public and private sectors, to enter including developers, contractors, consultants and those involved in property services.
Read more for Eligibility and Award Criteria
Eligibility
To be eligible for the UDIA National Women in Leadership Award applicants must:
- be employed by a current member of the UDIA in the relevant state (includes company membership)
- be based in Australia and be available for an interview, and
- have a minimum of ten years’ experience in the development industry or an associated industry (predominantly in Australia).
Award Criteria
Nominees must address each of the three questions below:
- Provide examples of your leadership qualities and indicate how you have demonstrated these qualities throughout your career.
- Describe how you act as a role model to other professionals.
- Detail the positive contributions that you have made to your organisation/the development industry, above and beyond your job role.
Diversity in Development Award
UDIA National’s Diversity in Development award acknowledges, encourages and most importantly, promotes diversity in development within the property industry across Australia.
Read more for Eligibility and Award Criteria
Eligibility
To be eligible for the UDIA National Diversity in Development Award applicants must:
Award Criteria
Nominees must:
- Outline the policies your company has in place to promote diversity in the workplace.
- Provide examples of how these diversity policies have improved company performance.
- Provide a diversity profile of the company, breaking down employees by the Board, senior management, middle management, and other levels.
Affordable Housing
Projects entered in the Affordable Housing category must be at practical completion and submitted by a developer.
The projects must demonstrate initial affordability of the product, as well as the incorporation of ‘whole of life’ sustainable elements that provide for long term affordability for ongoing running costs.
Masterplanned Communities
Projects entered in the Masterplanned Communities category must be at practical completion and submitted by a developer.
The projects must have a coherent design, with a relevant range of facilities within the development, whether predominantly residential, civic, recreational, entertainment, tourist, commercial or industrial, or a combination of any of these primary uses.
The substantially completed project must be large enough to generate a sense of community (as the size of the project is not defined) and developed to the stage where tangible benefits of a ‘master planned’ approach can be demonstrated.
Medium Density Development
Projects entered in the Medium Density Development category must be at practical completion and submitted by a developer.
The project must have a dwelling density of a minimum of 30 dwellings per hectare and be between 3 and 5 storeys in height (excluding basements and rooftops).
Entrants must ensure judges are able to walk through a completed dwelling during the site visit. Entrants must ensure they have made the necessary arrangements for this to occur.
Boutique Development
Projects entered in the Medium Density Development category must be at practical completion and submitted by a developer.
The project must be three storeys or less in height, and consist only of townhouses, terraces or similar product.
Entrants must ensure judges are able to walk through a completed dwelling during the site visit. Entrants must ensure they have made the necessary arrangements for this to occur.
Apartments (High-Rise)
Projects entered in the Apartments (High-Rise) category must be at practical completion and submitted by a developer.
The project must be 11 storeys or greater in height (excluding basements and rooftops)
Entrants must ensure judges are able to walk through a completed dwelling during the site visit. Entrants must ensure they have made the necessary arrangements for this to occur.
Apartments (Mid-Rise)
Projects entered in the Apartments (Mid-Rise) category must be at practical completion and submitted by a developer.
The project must be between six and ten storeys in height inclusive (excluding basements and rooftops)
Entrants must ensure judges are able to walk through a completed dwelling during the site visit. Entrants must ensure they have made the necessary arrangements for this to occur.
Residential Subdivision
Projects entered in the Residential Subdivision category must be at practical completion and submitted by a developer.
The project must have established a satisfactory relationship with nearby facilities to meet the needs of residents and users and not include a comprehensive range of facilities within the development itself.
Stages of masterplanned communities are not eligible to be entered in this category.
Urban Renewal
The Urban Renewal Award recognises those projects that have revitalised and repurposed land and/or existing buildings that was previously used for a different purpose. This Award celebrates the renewal of our existing suburbs and inner city areas.
Projects entered in the Urban Renewal category must be at practical completion and submitted by a developer.
The project will demonstrate revitalisation and appropriate use of land and/or buildings in established suburbs or inner city areas, and can either retain some existing built elements on a site or be inserted into an existing built environment.
Sustainability
Projects entered in the Sustainability category must be at practical completion and submitted by a developer.
The project should demonstrate outstanding sustainable practices and highlight benefits that are delivered for both the community and environment.
Marketing
Projects entered in the Marketing category must be submitted by a developer.
Entrants will be asked to highlight innovative marketing tactics, strategies, and approaches to sell residential product and which have enjoyed significant levels of market success and acceptance.
Seniors’ Living
This Award celebrates those development projects which cater for our seniors, including land lease communities, retirement living and aged care facilities.
Projects entered in the Seniors’ Living category must be at practical completion and submitted by a developer.
Social Community and Infrastructure
The Social and Community Infrastructure category celebrates those projects which have been delivered for community use.
Projects will be asked to demonstrate leadership and innovation in delivering services and/or social infrastructure developments, such as civic/community buildings, schools, hospitals and the like.
Entries are generally submitted by a local government, or State Government agency, however, developers are eligible to enter if their entry is a public realm project that allows for general community use.
A residential development alone is not eligible for this category.
Design Excellence
Projects entered in the Design category must be submitted by a developer or an architect and must be at practical completion.
Projects must be predominantly residential (i.e. small lot housing, villas, town houses, terrace homes, row housing, apartment buildings)
Project of the Year Award
A recommendation for the Project of the Year Award is made by the judges to the National President from the winners of the project categories in the National Awards program.
The recommended project should demonstrate outstanding achievement and the highest standards of practice.
A project honoured with the Project of the Year Award will be one that is capable of making a highly positive contribution to the public standing of contemporary development in Australia.This award will be bestowed on “the best of the best”.
The Judges reserve the right to not award this category, should the projects not meet these criteria.
