The Southern African Institute of Steel Construction (Saisc) is calling for entries for the thirty-sixth annual Steel Awards scheduled to take place simultaneously on September 13 in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.

Yearly, the Steel Awards judging panel decides on the categories and winners based on the entries received. The confirmed categories for 2017 include overall winner, tubular, light steel framing, factory and warehouse as well as the metal cladding categories.

Entries must illustrate what can be achieved using steel and its importance as a structural component in the project. The judging panel also considers factors such as benefits achieved by using steel construction, aesthetic appeal, environmental considerations, innovation in design, fabrication or construction, technical prowess, engineering expertise and quality of workmanship.

Moreover, other conditions required for the entries are that the steelwork must have been completed in 2016, the project was contracted by local steel contractors and that entrants got permission from developers or clients for the project to be entered into the Steel Awards.

Project entry fees for projects of 10 t or less are R925 and larger projects of more than 10 t pay a fixed fee of R3 600, which includes one complementary seat at the Steel Awards dinner at the venue of the participant’s choice – on the condition of booking more than one seat in total. Fees are payable no later than March 31.

Saisc requires the entrants to include a motivation with each entry form of between 500 to 800 words that includes a short description of the project and structural framing, the reason why the specific type of steel was chosen, why the project is special, its green building rating, challenges and solutions, cost-saving solutions as well as a testimony from the client.

Saisc also emphasises the importance of including high resolution digital images from all angles with the entry form as the judging panel considers first impressions with their finalist decisions.

The entry deadline is Friday, March 31.