Following five regional competitions, 15 Award-winning projects will now compete in the first global Holcim Awards competition for sustainable construction projects. The global phase of the competition showcases the best entries from more than 1500 submissions from 118 countries, and encourages innovative, future-oriented and tangible approaches within the building and construction industry.

USD 220,000 in prize money was awarded to the best entries in the Holcim Awards competition for sustainable construction projects from Latin America. The top prizes went to projects from Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela in a competition that aims to promote sustainable approaches to the built environment. The competition was created by the Swiss-based Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction in collaboration with five of the world’s leading technical universities including the University of São Paulo, Brazil.

The work inventively implements a comprehensive series of environmentally sensitive features in a public school facility. Deserving attention are such features as natural ventilation, natural lighting with protection provided from direct solar radiation, and an accessible roof garden. Although such measures are widely deployed, this project is distinguished as an innovative contribution to the region.

Schools have always played a significant role in the formation and reinforcement of communities. In this project for a new school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, ingenious strategies are devised for nesting the program for an educational facility within a framework of new and innovative solutions for sustainable construction.