Renovation of the Year 2026, an annual festival for the renovation industry that has gathered a cumulative total of 2,696 entries over 14 years, begins accepting applications on July 1 (Wed).

The Renovation Council (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Chairman: Takeshi Yamamoto) has begun accepting applications for the "Renovation of the Year 2026" award, which selects and recognizes outstanding renovation projects of 2026. The application period started on July 1 (Wed). (Selection Committee Chairman: Manjo Shimabara, Initiator of the Renovation Council).

["Renovation of the Year 2026" Application Overview Page]

https://www.renovation.or.jp/oftheyear

This award is the largest annual event in the renovation industry, having gathered a cumulative total of 2,696 excellent case studies over the past 14 years. This year, the 14th iteration, we are expanding the scope to include companies other than council members, broadening the application eligibility to all businesses involved in renovation projects, and widely soliciting excellent renovation examples from across Japan. We look forward to your enthusiastic entries to present the possibilities of renovation to society and further invigorate the industry as a whole.

What is "Renovation of the Year"

"Renovation of the Year" is an annual festival for everyone involved in renovation. This festival aims to widely convey the appeal and significance of renovation through diverse case studies.

Through this initiative, we aim to communicate new possibilities for housing to society and foster the future of the industry together. Beyond recognizing projects, we aim for renovation to become a "norm" in housing choices for more people through the efforts of each company.

Starting this year, we have decided to widely solicit excellent examples from across the country, regardless of membership status, to present the possibilities of renovation to society together with businesses possessing diverse knowledge and sensibilities. With the sentiment "The challenges of each company drive the future of the industry," we await diverse forms of renovation that transcend industry boundaries.

"Renovation of the Year 2026" Overview

<Eligibility Requirements>

1. Regular or supporting members of the Renovation Council

2. Renovation businesses that agree with the activities of the Renovation Council

*Must possess one of the following registrations: Real Estate Transaction Business, Construction Business, or Architect Office Registration.

*Must comply with relevant laws and regulations. Must not be an anti-social force, etc. Must not have any dishonest dealings in disputes with consumers, etc.

<Application Requirements>

- Renovation or remodeling work completed between October 1, 2024, and September 20, 2026.

- Consent obtained from the client, related parties, etc., for the publication of images on the council's website, promotional materials, and media authorized by the council.

- Must be a housing unit that complies with relevant laws and regulations such as the Building Standards Act.

*The structure of the housing, whether owned or rented, does not matter.

<Entry Fees>

Council Members: Free

Non-Members: 30,000 yen per entry

<Limit on Number of Entries>

Maximum of 3 entries per company per category.

*Previous entries or re-entries of the same content are not permitted.

<Application Categories (Excluding Construction Costs, Including Tax)>

Submitted projects will be solicited in four categories. In line with recent market conditions and the diversification of renovation, the category settings have been renewed starting this year.

1 Under 10 million yen *1

2 Under 20 million yen *1

3 20 million yen or more *1

4 Unlimited Class *2

Duplicate entries in multiple categories for the same property are not allowed. Furthermore, for categories based on construction costs (1-3), the construction cost must be clearly stated. The construction cost is based on the premise that it is a level that can be reproduced as a contracted work for general users for similar renovations.

*1: Excludes case studies other than those for individual housing units (regardless of the scale of work or full/partial renovation).

*2: Includes projects such as entire buildings, convention-type offices, stores, SOHO, marketing, community design, area management, apps, and services that do not fit the "renovation of individual housing units by price range" framework. Entries for individual housing units are not permitted.

<List of Awards>

- Overall Grand Prix

- Best Project Award by Division

(Under 10 million yen division / Under 20 million yen division / 20 million yen or more division / Unlimited Class division)

- Special Award (selected by committee members from award-winning projects)

- PLAYERS CHOICE AWARD

(Selected by vote of member companies who entered Renovation of the Year)

- COUNCIL’S VISION AWARD (Newly Established)

<Main Schedule>

Entry Period: July 1 (Wed) - August 31 (Mon) 17:00

*Non-members must register as a business by August 20.

Project Exhibition & Voting Period: September 25 (Fri) - October 27 (Tue)

Award Winners Announcement: November 5 (Thu)

Results Announcement & Awards Ceremony: December 10 (Thu)

<Benefits for Non-Member Business Entry / Applicable until March of the Following Year>

If joining as a regular member of the council, the entry fee will be applied to the admission fee. (Deducted from the admission fee of 100,000 yen).

Award-winning businesses will receive free admission fees for regular membership. (*A prescribed screening process is required for admission).

Benefits of Participating in "Renovation of the Year 2026"

This award is not just a competition for the superiority of projects, but a platform for all participants to communicate the appeal of renovation and lead to their own company's growth.

<Benefits of Entry>

- "Entry Project" Official Icon Awarded:

From the application stage, you can use the icon on your company's website, social media, sales materials, etc., conveying your company's stance as one undertaking advanced initiatives to customers.

<Benefits of Winning>

- Improvement of External Branding and Reliability:

Award certificates will be presented to award-winning projects, and special trophies to the Grand Prix and Special Award winners. The "Award-Winning Project" icon can be continuously used, serving as a strong testament to reliability for customers.

- Dissemination through Council Public Relations:

Award-winning projects will be widely disseminated to society through the council's official media and press releases. Media exposure opportunities will significantly expand.

- Enhancement of Internal Branding and Recruitment Power:

"Winning実績 in the industry's largest award" not only leads to employee pride (internal branding) but also serves as a strong appeal to job seekers, greatly enhancing reliability in recruitment activities.

Voices from Award-Winning Companies

Seiichiro Tamura, Representative Director, Tam Tam Design Co., Ltd.

"Entering Renovation of the Year provided a valuable opportunity to objectively re-examine and articulate our company's initiatives and value. After winning, we have experienced not only increased recognition but also a broadening of our business, such as new work and connections with businesses in other regions. I encourage many businesses to take on the challenge not just to submit projects, but as a place to communicate their own ideas and strengths."

2016 Overall Grand Prix "Arcade House (Tam Tam Design)" 2018 Overall Grand Prix "Letter to Kisho Kurokawa (Tam Tam Design + Himawari)"

Newly Established "COUNCIL’S VISION AWARD"

Starting this year, in addition to the traditional selection by committee members, primarily media representatives, we have newly established the "COUNCIL’S VISION AWARD," selected by business owner votes and the council's board of directors. This award highly values pioneering initiatives that embody the "Council's Vision," which are important for a sustainable future society, such as performance improvement, vacant house utilization/adaptive reuse, and cost performance.

About the Renovation Council

The Renovation Council is an industry organization established in July 2009 with the aim of creating a market where consumers can confidently choose existing homes and revitalizing the circulation of existing homes. Currently, 705 companies (526 regular members, 160 supporting members, 5 special members, 9 corporations, and 5 local governments) from across industries and sectors participate. It has established a unified standard for excellent renovation, "Compliant Renovation Housing," setting quality standards by building type and promoting its widespread adoption. The "R1 Housing" which meets the quality standards for individual condominium units, "R3 Housing" which includes common areas of condominiums, "R5 Housing" for detached houses, and "Eco Cube" for energy-saving renovation standards for condominium units are in operation, with a cumulative total of 87,964 compliant renovation housing units issued (as of March 31, 2026). Furthermore, in 2022, the "Renovation Coordinator Qualification System" was established to comprehensively learn the knowledge required for the provision of used housing distribution and renovation. This system aims to continuously improve the knowledge and skills of individuals involved in the renovation industry, expand employment opportunities such as mid-career changes from other industries and new graduate recruitment, and contribute to the revitalization of used housing distribution and renovation by improving talent retention.

Name: Renovation Council

Chairman: Takeshi Yamamoto

Established: May 20, 2009

Address: 1-1-5 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Central Building 13F

Official HP: https://www.renovation.or.jp/