The main category of the competition is open to architects, planners, engineers, project owners, builders and construction firms with current projects that showcase sustainable responses to technological, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues of contemporary building and construction. Projects are eligible for the competition if they have reached an advanced stage of design. Construction/production must not have started before July 1, 2010. In addition, the Holcim Awards competition seeks visions and ideas for the “Next Generation” (student category), open to projects created within any university program at final year bachelor level or above (including master’s and PhD).

A step-by-step guide to entering the competition is available for download in seven languages – covering the conditions of entry, adjudication process and tips on completing the online entry form. 

Measuring up to target issues for sustainable construction

Submissions in the Awards competition are evaluated by independent juries in five regions of the world using a set of “target issues” for sustainable construction. They serve to assess each submission against environmental, social, and economic performance. An additional target issue applies specifically to architecture and a final criterion recognizes the need for innovation and transferable approaches.

Jury panels of international experts

The juries will be led by internationally-renowned architects and academics: Jürgen Mayer H., Founder and Principal, J. Mayer H. Architects, Germany (jury head in region Europe); Mohsen Mostafavi, Dean, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, USA (North America); Carolyn Aguilar Dubose, Dean, Department of Architecture, Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico (Latin America); Hashim Sarkis, Principal, Hashim Sarkis Studios, Lebanon (Africa Middle East); and Wowo Ding, Dean, School of Architecture, Nanjing University, China (Asia Pacific).

The results of the competition will be announced at regional ceremonies in late 2011 in Milan, Washington DC, Buenos Aires, Casablanca and Singapore. Winners of the gold, silver and bronze awards from each of the five geographic regions will then progress to the Global Holcim Awards in 2012.

Support by world-renowned technical universities

To carry out the competition the Holcim Foundation works closely with leading technical universities: the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Switzerland; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Mass., USA; Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA) in Mexico City, Mexico; Ecole Supérieure d’Architecture de Casablanca (EAC), in Casablanca, Morocco; and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay), in Mumbai, India. Tongji University (TJU) in Shanghai, China; Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil; and University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg, South Africa are associated universities of the Holcim Foundation.

Innovation illustrated by prize-winning projects

The Holcim Awards is a series of international competitions being conducted for the third time to recognize innovative projects and future-oriented concepts in sustainable construction on regional and global levels. Holcim Awards Gold winners from the previous regional Holcim Awards competitions were: a comprehensive urban renewal project in Budapest, Hungary; a sustainable energy showcase and resource center in New York, USA; an urban planning project for a commune in Medellín, Colombia; a remediation and urban development scheme for the river precinct in Fez, Morocco; and a sustainable development project for a rural community on the urban fringe of Beijing, China. These projects continue to evolve from inspired ideas into tangible flagships of sustainable construction.

The Holcim Awards competition is an initiative of the Swiss-based Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, which is supported by Holcim Ltd and is independent of its commercial interests. Holcim Ltd is one of the world’s leading suppliers of cement and aggregates (crushed stone, gravel and sand) as well as further activities such as ready-mix concrete and asphalt including services. The Holcim Group holds majority and minority interests in around 70 countries on all continents.