Awards & Scholarships

IDEA Awards: Recognizing Industry Growth, Leadership, and Innovation

It's time to recognize the best of the best in district energy - will your organization be among those we celebrate this year?

IDEA is now accepting submissions for three of the industry's most prestigious honors: IDEA System of the Year, the Joseph M. Brillhart Innovation Award, and District Energy Space awards. Each recognizes the people, projects, and systems advancing district energy around the world.

While we celebrate the achievements shaping district energy today, we’re also investing in the leaders of tomorrow through the John Gray Scholarship program honoring students pursuing a degree in the energy industry.

Winners will be honored at IDEA2026 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (June 23–26), where district energy leaders from across the globe will gather to share ideas, celebrate achievements, and help shape the future of the industry.

Click the links below to learn more about the submission requirements for each award. These industry-renowned honors offer significant global visibility and an outstanding submission could help set your organization apart.

System of the Year Award

The Joseph M. Brillhart Innovation Award

The IDEA System of the Year Award (SOYA) is the highest honor IDEA can bestow on a district energy system. The award recognizes systems that demonstrate exceptional performance, reliability, and efficiency, along with a strong commitment to serving their communities. Honorees exemplify leadership in system design, operations, innovation, and long-term stewardship, setting a benchmark for excellence across the district energy industry.

In 2025, IDEA honored Cordia Pittsburgh with this prestigious award. Applications to be considered for this year's award is Friday, May 1, 2026.

The Joseph M. Brillhart Innovation Award recognizes groundbreaking technological innovations in the district energy industry. Often highlighting collaborative projects between institutions and industry partners, the award celebrates initiatives that demonstrate clear value to the communities they serve and offer a replicable pathway for advancing the industry.

In 2025, IDEA recognized NLine Energy and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for their submission, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: Sustainable Energy Transformation. Deadline for your submission to be considered for this year's award is Friday, May 1, 2026.

Submit Your Application for SOYA

District Energy Space

Submit Your Innovation Application!

District Energy Space is a publication that reports the incremental calendar year annual growth of new and renewed customer building space served by district energy.

Awards are given to the organizations that report the Greatest Number of Buildings Added in North America, Most Square Feet Added in North America, Greatest Number of Buildings Added Beyond North America, and Most Square Feet Added Beyond North America. We urge all IDEA Member Systems to participate each year.

Congratulations to all the 2024 District Energy Space Winners, including CenTrio Seattle, Cordia Phoenix, Lonsdale Energy, & Austin Energy in North America and Empower, Tabreed, and Emicool for Beyond North America!