definition
strict definition
distinction
A recognition that marks a building out as notable without ranking it against other entries or certifying a standard.
A distinction is a recognition that names a building as notable in itself. Nobody competed for it and no threshold was measured, which is what separates it from the other kinds of recognition.
An award is decided by a jury choosing between entries, and a certificate states that a defined standard was met. A distinction does neither. A listing on a heritage register or an entry on a national inventory belongs here.
The absence of a contest is the test. Where a body compared candidates and picked one, record the result as an award instead.