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If you are seeking further details on the 3rd International Holcim Awards competition, please try the Q&A platform:
 Holcim Awards Q&A platform
Why is “sustainable construction” important?
Sustainability requires that the present generation meets its needs without limiting the opportunities of future generations. For an approach to enable long-term viability, it must integrate economic, environmental and social impacts – the three elements of the triple bottom line. The construction industry can contribute greatly to global sustainability because everything that is built shapes the way people live today and in the future. The EU estimates that buildings account for up to 40% of primary energy consumption. Sustainably handling building design and management, material selection, as well as energy and resource consumption would be a significant step toward ecologically, economically and socially responsible development.
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Awards competition – what is the status of the current Holcim Awards competition and when will results be announced?
The 3rd International Holcim Awards competition closed for registrations on March 23, 2011. Results of the regional phase of the competition were announced in late-2011 at five regional Holcim Awards ceremonies:
Holcim Awards Europe 2011
Holcim Awards North America 2011
Holcim Awards Latin America 2011
Holcim Awards Africa Middle East 2011
 Holcim Awards Asia Pacific 2011
Projects awarded Holcim Awards Gold, Silver and Bronze in 2011 automatically qualified for the global phase of the competition. In addition, all prize-winning projects at the regional level – including the Acknowledgement and “Next Generation” winners – will automatically compete for Global Holcim Innovation prizes. Winners of the global prizes will be announced in April 2012.
Global Holcim Awards 2012
Awards competition – how do I find out more about the winning projects?
Downloadable PDF copies of project posters, jury appraisals and high-resolution images of all winning projects are available in the Holcim Awards section of this website, covering the winners of the first (2005/06), second (2008/09), and third (2011/12) cycles of the competition.
The Holcim Foundation publishes additional information in media releases and books about the winning projects and authors.
view Holcim Awards section
view Holcim Foundation publications
Holcim Forum – what is the Holcim Forum?
In cooperation with its partner universities, the Holcim Foundation organizes symposiums on sustainable construction, known as the Holcim Forum. These technical conferences offer architects, engineers, building professionals and experts from all generations and geographic locations an interdisciplinary academic platform for exchanging ideas and information.
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When was the most recent Holcim Forum held?
The most recent forum, the 3rd International Holcim Forum, was held April 14-17, 2010. The event took place at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. The next Holcim Forum is scheduled to take place in 2013 at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay) in Mumbai, India.
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Business propositions – whom should I contact regarding business proposals for the cement/concrete or construction industry?
The Holcim Foundation is supported by, but independent of the commercial interests of Holcim Ltd, one of the world's leading producers of cement and aggregates. The Holcim Group also supplies ready-mix concrete and asphalt and provides related services.
Business propositions should be directed to either Holcim Ltd or, more appropriately, the local Holcim Group company in the respective country. A list of contact details for all Holcim Group companies is available on the Holcim Ltd website.
find global Holcim locations
Employment – how do I apply for a position at the Holcim Foundation?
A small staff of professionals manages the office (administration, event management and communications) functions of the Holcim Foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland.
There is currently a position vacant for a Technical Officer. The newly-created position of Technical Officer will be responsible for providing technical expertise in the fields of architecture, engineering and urban planning, and liaise between the Holcim Foundation and its Technical Competence Center.
view Technical Officer position description and further details
Funding – what fellowships or grants are available?
The Holcim Foundation does not provide any scholarships or fellowships.
The Holcim Grants initiative provides seed funding for buildings and grants for PhD research projects to accelerate progress and promote sustainable construction. This program is conducted by the Holcim Foundation in collaboration with the relevant local Holcim Group company.
read more about the Holcim Grants initiative
Funding – requests for sponsorship of conferences/seminars
The Holcim Foundation may only spend funds within the scope of its own initiatives to support the promotion of sustainable construction on a non-commercial basis. As a consequence, there are no funds available to sponsor conferences, seminars, etc. and other requests beyond the scope of the Foundation’s initiatives.
News – how can I stay informed of the latest news about the Holcim Foundation, its Awards competition and Forum?
The Holcim Foundation sends out announcements and media releases via email to all subscribers of its email newsletter. Many announcements are made in multiple languages, so please indicate your preferred language (English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese or Spanish) when subscribing using the form (link below).
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Events calendar - How can I find out about conferences, competitions and events worldwide, in the context of sustainable construction?
The Holcim Foundation aims to unite diverse global expertise and increase awareness of the critical role of the built environment in achieving sustainability.
A calendar of sustainable construction events acts as a networking tool listing events related to sustainable construction hosted by associations, universities, NGOs, IGOs and corporations worldwide.
browse events calendar
All Holcim Foundation events including the Holcim Awards competition for sustainable construction projects and the Holcim Forum symposium are announced to all subscribers to the Holcim Foundation email newsletter.
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I don’t find my question here – whom should I contact?
Please contact the Holcim Foundation providing as much detail about your enquiry as possible. We are happy to accept and reply to questions in English at:
 info@holcimfoundation.org
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