An Alaskan rail extension, a multifamily facility designed to treat mental health and addiction issues and a mixed-use facility that met the International Living Building Challenge are among the projects a panel of industry professionals awarded top honors for ENR Northwest's Best Projects 2015 competition, an annual program recognizing outstanding design and construction in a variety of categories.

Panelists selected winning projects on the basis of quality, innovation, safety and the ability of their project teams to overcome unique challenges. In all, projects were honored in categories ranging from Energy and Health Care to Education, Renovation and Transportation. Winning projects will compete against winners from other regions in ENR's National Best of the Best Projects 2016 competition.

In addition to top honors, panelists honored projects with Awards of Merit in several categories.

All projects will be honored at an awards breakfast on Dec. 4 in Seattle. Projects also will be profiled in the Nov. 23 edition of ENR Northwest, which also will reveal ENR Northwest's Project of the Year.

Following is a preview of this year's winners:

Airports/Transit

Northern Rail Extension, Phase 1, Salcha, Alaska

Submitted by: Kiewit Infrastructure West Co.

Cultural/Worship

Award of Merit: Tacoma Art Museum Haub Gallery, Tacoma, Wash.

Submitted by: Sellen Construction

Energy/Industrial

Wanapum Dam Spillway Project, Vantage, Wash.

Submitted by: MWH Global

Award of Merit: Blue Lake Expansion Project, Sitka, Alaska

Submitted by: Barnard Construction Co. Inc

Government/Public Building

Bethel School District Transportation Center and Central Kitchen, Spanaway, Wash.

Submitted by: BNBuilders

Green Project

Stone34, Seattle

Submitted by: McKinstry

Award of Merit: The Orchards at Orenco, Hillsboro, Ore.

Submitted by: Walsh Construction Co.

Health Care

St. Charles Bend Cancer Center, Bend, Ore.

Submitted by: ZGF Architects

Higher Education/Research

Collaborative Life Sciences Building and Skourtes Tower, Portland, Ore.

Submitted by: JE Dunn Construction

Highways/Bridges

I-84 Sandy River and Jordan Rd. Bridges (Bundle 210), Troutdale, Ore

Submitted by: Hamilton Construction Co.

Interior Design/Tenant Improvements

Award of Merit: Puppet Labs, Portland, Ore.

Submitted by: Swinerton Builders

Office/Retail/Mixed Use

Block 44, Seattle

Submitted by: GLY Construction

Renovation/Restoration

Pacific Northwest College of Art - Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Center for Art and Design, Portland, Ore.

Submitted by: Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty Co.

Award of Merit: 1101 2nd Avenue Renovation, Seattle

Submitted by: Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty Co.

Residential/Hospitality

Center for Hope & Recovery/Beech Street Apartments, Portland, Ore.

Submitted by: Walsh Construction Co.

Small Project

SR 530 Slide - Roadway Clearing, Oso Wash.

Submitted by: IMCO General Construction

Award of Merit: Camp Parsons Boy Scouts Dining Hall, Brinnin, Wash.

Submitted by: Exxel Pacific General Contractors

Water/Environment

Removal of Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams, Port Angeles, Wash.

Submitted by: Barnard Construction Co. Inc.

The ENR franchise is indebted to the competition's three-member panel of judges, who include:

Paula Hammond, Senior Vice President, National Transportation Market Leader, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Seattle

J. Mark Ludtka Leader, Workplace Studio, DLR Group, Seattle

John Schaufelberger Dean of College of Built Environments; Chair, Department of Construction Management, University of Washington, Seattle