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Touchstone Awards 2027
About the Award
Presented by The Center for Health Design, the Touchstone Awards recognize exemplary use of an evidence-based design (EBD) process in the built environment through projects and products demonstrating exceptional achievements across the three touchstones of the EBD process: collaboration, evaluation, and sharing.
Since 2009, over 3,000 individuals have obtained certification through the EDAC (Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification) program. These individuals, together with their colleagues, clients, and project teams, have employed the EBD process in projects and products worldwide to enhance health, safety, and wellness; increase value; improve outcomes; and, engage stakeholders.
The Touchstone Award – with its rigorous judging by accomplished and renowned industry veterans – represents the pinnacle of achievement for evidence-based design by practitioners, firms, and teams.
Should You Apply?
Your commitment to evidence-based design runs deep. Like the adoption of evidence in medical practice, the choice to use evidence and research in the design and construction or fabrication of your project or product demonstrates your organization’s thoughtful commitment to the highest standards and a desire to make a difference for those who have entrusted you with their health, safety, and wellbeing.
You have created a distinction of difference. The Touchstone Award distinguishes your project or product as a stellar example of design executed to improve the patient, family, staff, and visitor experience; health, safety, wellness, and other measurable outcomes; and, the overall value for all stakeholders and the organization.
You want to showcase your innovative design solutions, build momentum for future projects or products, and deepen relationships through the celebration of your collaborative and impactful work.
You will advance the industry’s knowledge by sharing your EBD journey and lessons learned to create an environment that will improve outcomes.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to submit at all project stages while employing an EBD process; a single project or product is eligible to receive all levels of award over its lifecycle.
Touchstone Award Criteria
Submissions are scored based upon their success in achieving criteria in the three categories:
Collaborate: Submissions must demonstrate interdisciplinary team and stakeholder education, engagement and development.
Evaluate: Submissions must demonstrate the extent to which evidence was found, evaluated, and applied to develop and link design strategies to outcomes and how the project or product measured and evaluated the results and outcomes.
Share: Submissions must demonstrate how the EBD process was applied and how the knowledge gained was documented and disseminated and how lessons learned were shared and could have potential application for future projects or products.
Award Levels
There are three award levels: Silver, Gold, and Platinum and will be determined based upon successful achievement of the criteria within each category (Collaborate, Evaluate, and Share). Applicants will only be awarded the Gold or Platinum Level if they have also met the majority of the criteria in the preceding levels.
A Platinum Award demonstrates the highest achievement and application of the EBD process. Projects or products that are solely conceptual, or are not yet built, will also be considered for an award; these will qualify for the Silver or Gold level. Projects or products must be built in order for them to be considered for a Platinum award.
Jury
An expert review panel consisting of key industry stakeholders — academics, architects, designers, healthcare executives, planners, facility executives, patient and family advisors, researchers — has been engaged by The Center, who will manage the process and ensure blind entry judging. If any juror has participated in any of the submitted projects or products, he or she will not participate in judging for that submission. In all cases, submissions will be blinded from all jurors.
Healthcare Environment Awards 2027
About the Award
The application period for the 2026 Healthcare Environment Awards open August 10, 2026.
Presented by The Center for Health Design, the Healthcare Environment Awards recognize:
- Strategic and innovative design concepts,
- Collaborative team processes, and
- Evidence-informed decision-making
to improve the quality of healthcare, and specifically health, safety, wellness, patient experience, organizational and other key outcomes, in a wide range of healthcare settings.
First awarded in 1989, the Healthcare Environment Award has celebrated exceptional work by firms large and small, on projects of every type and size, throughout the US and internationally.
A rigorous jurying process by highly-respected panels of industry experts evaluates not just the visual aesthetic, but the process employed - research, strategy, collaboration, innovation and results - to determine each year's distinguished group of recipients.
Winners receive broad industry exposure to design and healthcare colleagues and decision-makers - in an on-stage award ceremony at the annual PDC Summit, in a special award section of Health Facilities Management magazine, and to The Center's 25,000+ community through website, email and social communications.
Add your project and name to this esteemed 36-year legacy of outstanding contributions to healthcare design - enter your project today!
Categories & Eligibility
Categories
- Acute (Inpatient) Care Facilities
- Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care Facilities
- Long-Term Care/Assisted Living Facilities
- Behavioral & Mental Health Settings
- Pediatric Settings
- Hospital Settings
- Conceptual Design
- Student Design Work
- Alternative Settings*
- Healthcare Environment of the Year
*There is an interest in specialties such as Health & Fitness Wellness Facilities, Landscape Design, settings for new models of care, Health and Education, Technology and Telehealth, Healthcare at Home, Community Health Centers, etc.
Eligibility
- Professional entries of built work must be interiors that are fully operational no earlier than September 1, 2024, and no later than July 1, 2026.
- Conceptual entries must have been completed no earlier than September 1, 2024, and no later than July 1, 2026.
- Student entries must have been completed in either the 2024-25 or 2025-26 school years.
- If your project fits the eligibility requirements above and has previously been submitted for the Healthcare Environment Award but was not an award recipient, you may reapply.
- Firms may enter multiple projects within the same year. Projects can be in the same category.
Tips
- You are encouraged to write a narrative with the input of the interdisciplinary team.
- For the purpose of this award's goals, stock "marketing" language typically used in promotional materials is usually not the best way to communicate complex and nuanced strategies that have been considered and weighed against other options.
- Make sure the narrative aligns with the images you are submitting.
- AI tools may be used for editing assistance only. Applicants remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, and authenticity of all submitted materials. AI-generated language may not best represent creativity or intent of the project.
Process
1. Register
Click on the "Register" link and complete and submit the registration form.
2. Login
Login to the award with your email and password.
3. Create
Create your online application.
4. Save
During the Call for Applications period, your application can be saved as DRAFT until all the required information is completed and attachments uploaded. As each section is complete, you will see a 
appear in the category tab when the application is saved. At any time, you can download and print your application by clicking on the 
icon in the Application Summary section.
5. Submit
On completion, save your application as FINAL. Download and print a copy of your application for your records by clicking on the icon in the Application Summary section in the right column. Note: If an update is required prior to the Call for Applications period, you can make the update and resave as FINAL.
If you require assistance or additional information, please contact the Award Administrator.
Key Dates
Touchstone Awards:Healthcare Environment Awards:
Contact Us
The Center for Health Design
1320 Willow Pass Road, Suite 600
Concord, California 94520 USA
Phone: 925.521.9404
Touchstone Awards Contact
Shannon Roecklein
sroecklein@healthdesign.org
Healthcare Environment Award Contact
Elisa Osuna
eosuna@healthdesign.org
