Zurich, Switzerland – Entries in the 5th International LafargeHolcim Awards will close on 21 March 2017. The competition seeks projects at an advanced stage of design from the fields of architecture, building and civil engineering; landscape and urban design; as well as materials, products and construction technologies. The Awards also feature a Next Generation category for visions and ideas of young professionals and students. Organised by the LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, the world’s most significant competition in sustainable design takes place in parallel across five geographic regions – each with its own jury of renowned and independent specialists. The juries are headed by Harry Gugger (Europe), Ray Cole (North America), Angelo Bucci (Latin America), Nagwa Sherif (Middle East Africa) and Donald Bates (Asia Pacific).

Two categories with different requirements
The main category of the competition is open to architects, planners, engineers, project owners, builders and construction firms showcasing sustainable responses within contemporary building and construction. Projects must have reached an advanced stage of design, have a high probability of execution, and may not have started construction before July 4, 2016. In addition, students and professionals up to the age of 30 years may submit visionary concepts, bold ideas and “blue-sky” solutions in the Next Generation category of the competition, irrespective of the probability of implementation of the project. Entry in the online competition is free: www.lafargeholcim-awards.org/intro

“Target issues” for sustainable construction
Submissions are evaluated against five “target issues” for sustainable construction. They take a holistic view at sustainability and cover innovation and transferability; ethical standards and social inclusion; resource and environmental performance; economic viability and compatibility; and contextual and aesthetic impact.

Winners qualify for global LafargeHolcim Awards competition
The winners will be announced in the second half of 2017 at Awards ceremonies in each region. The main winners automatically qualify for the global LafargeHolcim Awards competition in 2018. The total prize money of the 5th International LafargeHolcim Awards cycle amounts to USD 2 million.