Holcim Awards: Application Deadline Approaches
29 January 2008 - Only a month remains for New Zealand architects, planners, engineers, and project owners to seek
recognition for incorporating sustainable features into their building projects through the Holcim Awards for
Sustainable Construction.
Applications for this prestigious award, which offers a total of US$2 Million in prizes, will only be accepted until 29
February.
The Holcim Awards are an international competition to recognise designs that provide sustainable responses to the
technological, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues affecting contemporary building and construction. The
competition is an initiative of the Swiss-based Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction and is supported by
Holcim Group Companies such as Holcim (New Zealand) Ltd.
“Holcim is committed to promoting advances in sustainable construction,” said Jeremy Smith, Managing Director of Holcim
New Zealand,” and we’re keen to see recognition for the great work being done on sustainability initiatives in New
Zealand. That can only happen if those involved with these building and construction projects put an entry into the
competition.”
Entry is completed online at www.holcimawards.org where entrants are asked to rate their projects against five
sustainability criteria. Comprehensive information on the competition requirements and eligibility are also available
online. One key requirement is that construction on the project did not start before 1 June 2007.
Entries from New Zealand go forward to a regional competition for Asia-Pacific entries. Winners from each of the Holcim
Awards five regional competitions to be held later this year will then advance to the global competition to be held in
2009. There is also a special category in the Awards for those under 35 years of age with visions and ideas at a
conceptual level.
Throughout the competition, the Holcim Foundation is supported closely by distinguished technical universities around
the globe, including: Tongji University, Shanghai, China; the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich,
Switzerland; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA; Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA), Mexico
City, Mexico; University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; and the Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo,
Brazil.
“If recognition gained by winners in the first Holcim Awards competition is any guide, it would be a significant boost
for the profile of New Zealand building and construction professionals if one of the awards was for a sustainable
project in New Zealand,” said Jeremy Smith. “ We urge architects, engineers, planners and project owners to get their
competition entry in before 29 February.”
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The Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction is supported by Holcim Ltd but 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-mixed concrete and asphalt and related services. The Holcim Group holds
majority and minority interests in more than 70 countries on all continents, and employs approximately 90,000 people.
Holcim New Zealand is a subsidiary of Holcim Ltd, and is a leading New Zealand supplier of cement, aggregates, ready
mixed concrete and lime. Its involvement in the New Zealand building industry dates back to 1888, and today it operates
more than 35 sites and employs approximately 530 people.
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Internet: www.holcimawards.org www.holcim.com/nz
ENDS