Holcim Awards now open for entries

USD 2 million competition for projects and visions in sustainable construction

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http://smr.newswire.ca/en/holcim/holcim-awards-now-open-for-entries

TORONTO, July 7 /CNW/ - The 3rd International Holcim Awards competition offering a total of USD 2 million in prize money is open to: sustainable building and civil engineering works; landscape, urban design and infrastructure projects; and materials, products and construction technologies. The Awards are an initiative of Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction.

Entries must be submitted online at www.holcimawards.org by March 23, 2011. The competition celebrates innovative, future-oriented and tangible projects and visions from around the globe and is open to anyone involved with approaches that contribute towards a more sustainable built environment. The 3rd International Holcim Awards competition is comprised of five regional competitions in 2010/11 and the global phase in 2012. Step-by-step instructions on how to enter the competition are available at: www.holcimawards.org/guides

"We have seen some great Canadian sustainable construction projects win in previous award cycles and receive global recognition and support. The Holcim Awards are an opportunity to truly celebrate the innovative and sustainable efforts of our architects, engineers and project owners." said Bill Galloway, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Holcim Canada Inc.

Holcim Awards (main) and "Next Generation" (student) categories

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

Measuring up to "target issues" for sustainable construction

Submissions in both categories are evaluated by independent juries, using five "target issues" to define sustainable construction. Three of these align with the triple bottom line concept of balanced social, environmental and economic performance. The rest cover contextual and aesthetic impact, and innovation and transferability. For further details see: www.holcimawards.org/target

The Holcim Awards run on a 3 year cycle from opening of entries to the final ceremony awarding the global winners. With nearly 5000 project submissions from over 120 countries last cycle, the Awards are truly an opportunity to champion sustainability and globally reward the hard work of innovative minds.

Visit www.holcimawards.org for more information and to submit a project.

About Holcim (Canada) Inc.

Employing approximately 3,500 Canadians and generating annual revenues over $1.3 billion, Holcim (Canada) Inc. is a leading producer and supplier of products and services for the construction industry, serving customers across Canada.

About the Holcim Foundation

The Holcim Foundation is supported by Holcim Ltd and its Group companies in around 70 countries and is independent of its commercial interests. Holcim is one of the world's leading suppliers of cement and aggregates as well as further activities such as ready-mix concrete and asphalt including services. In 2009 the Group was confirmed as a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the seventh time in succession.

For further information: Junaina Saulat, Manager, External Communications, Tel: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]