EIFS Excellence Awards Highlight Innovation in High-Performance Façade Design

Jury Notes Shift Towards More Sophisticated Applications in Increasingly Nuanced Ways

FALLS CHURCH, Va., April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The EIFS Industry Members Association (EIMA) has announced the winners of its 2025 EIFS Excellence Awards, recognizing projects that demonstrate the evolving role of Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) in contemporary façade design.

This year's selected projects reflect a growing alignment between architectural expression and high-performance building envelopes, with EIFS increasingly used to achieve complex geometries, layered façades, and refined material articulation while meeting stringent energy requirements.

Jurors—architects and building science professionals—evaluated entries based on design quality, technical execution, and the integration of EIFS into the overall architectural concept. Across project types, the jury noted a shift toward more sophisticated applications of EIFS, including prefabricated panel systems and assemblies incorporating continuous insulation, drainage planes, and integrated air and water-resistive barriers.

"The projects recognized this year demonstrate a high level of design ambition paired with technical rigor," the jury noted. "EIFS is being used not simply as a cladding solution, but as a tool for shaping form, depth, and performance in increasingly nuanced ways."

Project of the Year: Villas on 24th, Austin, Texas
Top honors were awarded to Villas on 24th, a 340,000-square-foot student housing development near the University of Texas. The project's façade is composed of 490 prefabricated EIFS panels, incorporating more than 100 unique geometric variations.

Through shifts in depth, color, and texture, the façade creates a dynamic visual rhythm that changes across elevations, giving the building a strong presence within Austin's rapidly evolving urban fabric. The use of prefabricated EIFS panels also supported construction efficiency while maintaining a high level of design precision.

Expanding Design Possibilities
Across the awarded projects—including healthcare, hospitality, and multifamily buildings—EIFS was employed to achieve:

• Articulated façades with depth and shadow play
• Complex forms and geometric variation
• Continuous insulation strategies supporting energy performance
• Durable assemblies suited to diverse climate conditions

The jury highlighted the material's adaptability as a key factor in enabling architects to balance aesthetic intent with performance demands, particularly as codes and client expectations continue to evolve.

The awards were presented March 26 during the 2026 EIMA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Award Recipients

EIFS Project of the Year

• Villas on 24th – Austin, TX

EIFS Excellence Awards

• Wellstar Kennestone Hospital (Tower Addition) – Marietta, GA
• The University of Alabama Bryce Main – Tuscaloosa, AL
• The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art Expansion – Lakeland, FL
• Universal Helios Grand Hotel – Orlando, FL
• The Emerson – Englewood, CO
• Scout Living at Ponce City Market – Atlanta, GA

Awards of Merit

• Lévis Cultural Center – Lévis, Québec
• Sherman Creek North Cove – New York, NY
• The Roc Residence – Rigaud, Québec
• Linden Grove – Brooklyn, NY
• Saint Francis Clinic East Prairie – East Prairie, MO
• Tuxedo Village – Winnipeg, Manitoba
• The Hotel Rambler – Montgomery, OH
• The Dillon Buckhead – Atlanta, GA
• Wash Boss – Evansville, IN

About EIMA
Established in 1981, the EIFS Industry Members Association (EIMA) represents manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, applicators, and design professionals across the North American EIFS industry. For more information, go to www.eima.com

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SOURCE EIFS Industry Members Association