TOBY Award Categories
Corporate Facility
Buildings must be single-use and at least 50% occupied by the corporate entity, which may include government agencies or private enterprises. A minimum of 50% office area is required.
Earth Building
Eligible office buildings must demonstrate a commitment to preserving and enhancing the internal and external environment through green and sustainable practices. This category recognizes buildings that apply a wide range of environmental sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) policies to identify, measure, mitigate, and communicate their environmental impact. A minimum of 50% office space is required.
Historical Building
Buildings must be at least 50 years old and maintain their original design. All building sizes are eligible. The structure must retain its historic physical integrity, meaning the site remains relatively undisturbed. Renovations to the original framework are acceptable. A minimum of 50% office area is required.
Industrial Office Building
Buildings must be one to two stories in height, with between 5% and 50% office space, as measured by BOMA standards for the Industrial category. Eligible properties may include single-building industrial facilities. Buildings must feature a loading dock and roll-up or sliding doors for loading and must not have a common lobby or corridors. Access to utility and fire equipment is required.
Medical Office Building
Buildings must be at least 75% dedicated to medical use, including spaces for physicians, staff, and patient care. Additional uses may include ambulatory surgery centers, clinical labs (e.g., catheterization labs), imaging, physical therapy, rehabilitation clinics, prosthetics centers, and pharmacies. The building may be located on or off a hospital campus or within a research area. Patient stays must be less than 24 hours, though they may occur within any 24-hour period. There is no minimum office space requirement.
Mixed-Use Building
Properties must include a minimum of 10% office space and feature a planned integration of at least three distinct components, such as retail, entertainment, residential, hotel, recreation, or other public facing functions. Each component must represent at least 10% of the total property. The property may consist of one or more buildings managed by the same company. It must be pedestrian-oriented and support a live-work-play environment, with amenities and architectural features designed to optimize space usage and reduce traffic and sprawl. All mixed use buildings must maintain an average annual physical occupancy rate of at least 50%, including tenant activity and public events. Entrants in this category are required to be benchmarked in ENERGY STAR
Portfolio Manager.
Portfolio Manager.Public Assembly Building
Buildings must be publicly accessible and support multiple uses such as entertainment, events, or gatherings. These uses may influence building operations, including utility consumption, operating hours, and tenant relations. Eligible properties may be stand-alone or part of a larger portfolio and include arenas, amphitheaters, auditoriums, art galleries, churches, hotels, convention centers, exhibit halls, courthouses, stadiums, university buildings, libraries, and other event or meeting spaces. Entry restrictions (e.g., ticketed access or multi-tenant areas) are permitted. Shared campuses with non-public entities (e.g., courthouses or educational facilities) are also eligible. All public assembly buildings must maintain an average annual physical occupancy rate of at least 50%, including tenant activity and public events. Entrants in this category are required to be benchmarked in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
Pueblo Building (local BOMA/GLA award)
Building that has demonstrated an outstanding performance in its contribution to the community, making community outreach one of its primary objectives. A building may enter the Pueblo category in conjunction with any other award category.
Retail Building (local BOMA/GLA award)
- Enclosed Mall - Under 1 Million Square Feet
- Enclosed Mall - Over 1 Million Square Feet
- Open Air/Strip Mall
Properties must be managed as a single entity and consist of a group of retail and commercial establishments, either enclosed or open-air. Entries must have a minimum of 50% occupancy and may include the following.
There is no minimum office space requirement.
- Neighborhood Centers (30,000–50,000 square feet)
- Community Centers (100,000–400,000 square feet)
- Power Centers (250,000–600,000 square feet)
- Regional Shopping Centers (400,000–800,000 square feet)
- Super Regional Shopping Centers (800,000+ square feet)
Renovated Building
Buildings must be at least 15 years old and maintain a minimum of 50% physical occupancy during the renovation process. For multiple-building entries, at least three renovation projects must be completed per building. For single-building entries, a minimum of five projects is required.
Suburban Office Park (Low-Rise)
Two or more buildings managed by the same company, with the tallest building no higher than five stories. All buildings must occupy land greater than five acres and be located outside the central business district or downtown core. A minimum of 50% office area is required.
Suburban Office Park (Mid-Rise)
Two or more buildings managed by the same company, with at least one building between six and twelve stories. All buildings must occupy land greater than five acres and be located outside the central business district or downtown core. A minimum of 50% office area is required.
Life Science Building
One or more buildings managed by the same company must be at least 50% leased and occupied by life science tenants, with a minimum of 30% lab rentable square footage. There is no minimum office space requirement. Life science tenants are defined as those specializing in chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, cell biology, genetics, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, and agricultural technology.
Office Building Square Footage Categories
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Under 100,000 Square Feet
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100,000 - 249,999 Square Feet
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250,000 - 499,999 Square Feet
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500,000 - 1 Million Square Feet
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Over 1 Million Square Feet
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