Entries in the Awards are now open. Sustainable construction projects can be submitted for the Awards via the Internet until March 31, 2005. The prize money for the five regional competitions and the global awards totals USD two million. The Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction was established in Switzerland in December 2003. The aim of the Holcim Foundation is to promote sustainable construction worldwide.

An important instrument for this is the Holcim Awards, a competition in which anyone who pursues projects in the area of the sustainable construction can participate – architects, planners, engineers, or project owners. Three regional awards and additional honorable mentions and promotional prizes will be awarded in each of five geographic regions: Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa Middle East, and Asia Pacific. The regional award winners will automatically qualify for the global competition to be held in 2006. At the awards ceremony, an independent jury will announce the three worldwide best projects, exemplary works that are genuine milestones in the advancement of sustainable construction.

Registration only via the Internet

The Holcim Awards were initiated by the Holcim Foundation. To carry out the competition the foundation is working closely together with five renowned technical universities: the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Switzerland; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, USA; Tongji University (TJU), Shanghai, China; the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil; and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Johannesburg, South Africa. These universities will lead the independent juries in their regions. The universities have also assisted in defining the five “target issues for sustainable construction” which will be used to evaluate the submitted projects. Descriptions of these criteria are available on the Internet. The world-wide web plays a key part in the Holcim Awards; full information on the competition is available at www.holcimfoundation.org/awards and entries can only be submitted via the website. 

Competition with a future

The Holcim Awards were conceived to be a permanent and progressive program. New competition cycles will be held regularly. In addition to the prize money, the Holcim Foundation providing funding of USD one million in each cycle to support the execution of one or more sustainable construction projects and to enable otherwise under-funded projects to be carried out. The Holcim Awards is a competition of the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction and is supported worldwide by the operating companies of the Holcim Group. The independent Foundation is an initiative of Holcim Ltd, one of the world's leading suppliers of cement, as well as aggregates (gravel and sand), concrete and construction-related services with Group companies and affiliates in more than 70 countries.

Prominent members of the advisory board

The activities of the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction are guided and followed by an advisory board. This committee comprises internationally renowned experts: 

• Yolanda Kakabadse, Member of the World Conservation Union (IUCN), Ecuador
• Amory B Lovins, CEO of the Rocky Mountain Institute, USA
• Rolf Soiron, Chairman of Holcim Ltd, Switzerland
• Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Germany/Kenya
• Simon Upton, Chairman of the OECD Round Table on Sustainable Development, New Zealand/France
• Muhammand Yunus, Founder of the Grameen Bank, Bangladesh

"Basic Needs" First forum of the Holcim Foundation in Zurich

The Holcim Awards are the most prominent activity of the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, but not the only activity. The Holcim Foundation also promotes sustainable construction through publications and forums. The first Holcim Forum on the theme "Basic Needs" took place in September 2004 at the ETH Zurich (Switzerland). 

More than 120 experts from 35 countries – scientists, architects, politicians, students – gathered to discuss their approaches to the interrelation between basic human needs and sustainable construction. For two days they collaborated in workshops, participated in panel discussions, and assessed projects.

Renowned architects Winy Maas (Netherlands) and Eduardo Souto de Moura (Portugal) delivered well-attended lectures in which they explained their ideas of sustainable construction. Other speakers including Muhammad Yunus (Bangladesh) and Simon Upton (New Zealand/France) shared unconventional ideas and opinions, sparking lively debate among the participants.

The forum showed that sustainable construction has many definitions and aspects – it takes on different meanings depending on local needs and approaches. A report of the first Holcim Forum “Basic Needs” will be published soon.

The Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction promotes innovative approaches to sustainable construction mainly through regional and global Awards competitions and an international Forum. Architectural excellence and enhanced quality of life are integral parts of the Holcim Foundation’s vision of sustainable construction.

www.holcimfoundation.org