Being part of the HIA Victorian judging panel for Housing Awards has opened my eyes, not only to the quality of builders we have in Victoria but to the seriousness and entrenched professionalism demonstrated within its judging panel ranks. Highly regarded within the sector, the HIA Housing and HIA Kitchen & Bathroom Awards are the highlight of the industry calendar each year, celebrating the best of the best.
Working very closely with the state and national judging teams as well as executive management at the HIA, has given me a first-hand look behind the scenes of how highly these awards are viewed by the industry. The pedigrees of expert judges involved and the judging criteria employed throughout the whole process, demonstrates such a strong emphasis on professionalism. Maintaining impartiality and confidentiality at every step are hallmarks of that core team of experienced industry leaders focused on finding the best builders and projects Victoria has to offer.
Winning Housing Awards are more important now than ever before!
Most builders strive to be acknowledged for their craftsmanship and effort as they invest blood, sweat and tears into every project. There may never be a more important time than now, to champion excellence from builders within our industry and their projects.
In a year of global pandemic, lock downs and a challenging financial climate, why shouldn’t those builders striving for excellence in their industry and who set an example to others, still have the chance to be rewarded and potentially dubbed the best home builder in Victoria?
The HIA has decided to go ahead with the Awards program in 2020.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, judging in 2020 will be moved online instead of in person, as the only way to ensure the safety of all parties and to meet government restrictions. HIA Victoria have done a fantastic job as industry leaders in responding to the pandemic from a sector point of view, as well as representing builders at state and federal levels during the uncertain climate. HIA Victoria have had to review how judging will be carried out to allow the awards to continue.
It’s a challenging yet rewarding task being a judge for the HIA Housing Awards, working alongside fantastic, experienced judges and the support team at HIA. We enjoy drawing back the curtains on some of the state’s best construction projects and amazing homes. It really is an honour to be entrusted with the responsibility to review and select winners.
Changing the way, we work in 2020.
In 2020, like other years, we are on the search for excellence in areas of quality of workmanship, individual tradesmanship, construction detail, quality of finish, design effectiveness, visual appeal of the project, innovation, environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, ergonomics, zoning, materials used, technology and market relevance. These are just some of the areas of key focus for the judges.
With a new, online judging model that incorporates some changes to the previous ways of doing things, entrants this year are also given the opportunity to add more information to their current entry. The COVID-19 restrictions mean that additional photos, video walkthrough content, supporting documentation and more will now also be considered.
It will be a real test for this year’s judges who are used to being able to walk through and view with their own eyes, the quality inside each home. Even though we are moving to an entirely online model this year, we judges are dedicated to embracing the new process to allow the professional awards to move forward – championing outstanding builders, designers and projects.
We all know building isn’t easy in this industry and even harder during a global pandemic.
I believe the HIA Housing Awards may be the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ for many and a positive focus during these challenging times. They are a way to celebrate and reward those who’ve worked hard to deserve recognition.
I’m looking forward to the judging process this year and of course, to next year when we can get back into the physical spaces of those homes. I acknowledge those passionate builders for raising the bar and really encouraging quality and professionalism in the industry. I hope you receive recognition of your efforts.
I’d like to encourage all builders to consider applying for building awards in their qualifying categories, with the hope to see them on the podium at the Annual HIA Housing Awards Gala Night.
Ryan Goodwin
Director- Mode Developments & Mode Renovations.
Award-winning Builder, Business Coach and HIA Housing Awards Judge.
www.modedevelopments.com.au
