Rules for Bexar Audubon Society’s

Vegetated-Roofs Competition

1. Bexar Audubon Society believes the emerging trend towards vegetated rooftops is one of the most promising "win-win" options in conservation. People and businesses who invest in such roofs gain immediate benefits from lower heating/cooling costs. Everyone benefits from reduced demand for energy, reduced heat-island effect on urban weather, cleaner air, and increased habitat for birds and beneficial insects. Other potential benefits are increased customer traffic for businesses that offer this interesting and attractive face to the public; more usable business space for those with the imagination to place employee break areas, food-service kiosks and boutiques on garden roofs; and, in San Antonio, long-range tourism potential in becoming known as the “Hanging Gardens of Bejar,” a modern equivalent of the "Hanging Gardens of Babylon," if enough businesses adopt this idea.

2. Therefore, in support of the Metropolitan Partnership for Energy's 2008 cool-roof workshop, Bexar Audubon Society is offering a cash prize for "Best Vegetated Roof" completed between April 18, 2008 (announcement date of prize) and June 30, 2009. PLEASE NOTE: While other kinds of roofs qualify as "cool" or "green" for other purposes, Bexar Audubon believes that vegetated roofs offer special benefits for birds, air quality, and urban quality-of-life and is restricting its prize to that category of roof in order to encourage their development.)

3. First prize is $2,000 for the building owner (a renter may be eligible if the renter paid for the vegetation conversion by agreement with the owner and the owner so attests in the prize application) and $500 for the project's primary designer/builder/landscaper. Second prize will be $1,000 for owner (or eligible renter) and $250 for primary designer/builder/landscaper. More than one designer/builder/landscaper may be identified, with the understanding that, if a prize is awarded, it will be divided among those designated. It is the owner’s responsibility to identify the primary designer/builder/landscaper(s) in the prize application. In the event of disputes over this identification, or between owner and renter, the individuals in dispute shall resolve the dispute by negotiation or legal action amongst themselves: Bexar Audubon Society accepts no legal liability for resolving disputes or paying extra compensation.) Honorees will receive plaques/certificates attesting their accomplishment.

4. Eligibility extends to any new or existing building -- public, industrial, commercial or residential -- in the counties served by Bexar Audubon Society, viz., Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Bandera, Wilson, Atascosa and Medina. Buildings outside this area will be eligible if the owner or designer was a registered participant in the MPE cool-roof workshop on April 18, 2008. There is no minimum size for eligible roofs, but roofs must be “substantially” vegetated to win. “Substantial” is defined as sufficiently vegetated to make a significant difference in energy waste and/or heat island effect and/or human or wildlife use of the roof. These determinations shall be entirely up to the panel of expert judges described below.

5. Applications will be accepted from June 30-July 31, 2009. Forms will be at http://www.bexaraudubon.org by April 31, 2009. There is no fee, but photos and a brief narrative are requested. Winners will be announced by Sept. 30, 2009. Presentations will be scheduled by mutual agreement.

6. In case of questions or problems, contact the president of Bexar Audubon via contact links on the website. There is no fee for applying, but photos and a brief narrative description of each roof and its development will be requested. Submission of an application will constitute permission for a panel of judges to conduct one initial on-site inspection to include walking the nominated roof where practicable, plus up to two follow-up inspections if needed to resolve a close competition. While reasonable accommodation will be made to owners' convenience in scheduling inspections, failure to settle on a date within the judging period shall invalidate an application.

6. Nominated rooftops will be inspected during July-August 2009 by a panel of judges selected by the president of Bexar Audubon Society, with the advice of BAS officers and board. The panel will consist of up to five qualified experts in such areas as architecture, plants, and environmental science. Nominees who believe that any judge is biased or has conflicts of interest may contact the president of BAS with their concerns, but his selection of judges shall be final. Likewise, judges will be expected to exercise due diligence in inspection of nominated roofs, but their decisions are final. Announcement of winners will be made not later than Sept. 30, 2009. Location/timing of presentations will be determined by mutual agreement between BAS and the winners.

7. Judges' assessment of each roof shall be based on a holistic impression of the effectiveness, attractiveness and creativity of the rooftop's vegetation system. Winners will be selected on a "best of the successful" standard. That is to say, if (in the judges' view) no applicant meets minimum standards for a successful rooftop, no prize will be awarded.

8. Inasmuch as this is a first-time competition in a new field, it is recognized that flaws or omissions may be detected in these rules over time. Therefore, Bexar Audubon retains the right to adjust or clarify the rules, with the understanding that any changes will be designed to expand competition or make it more fair and transparent. Changes will not be adopted with the intention or effect of shrinking competition, precluding any bona-fide entry, or invalidating any project initiated with reliance upon the original version of the rules.