Member Article

Final call for entries for sustainable construction awards

Construction Industry Solutions Ltd (Slough, Berkshire) is calling for all applicants to submit their entries for the COINS Construction Industry Grand Challenge (CCIGC), with the deadline to submit entries on Friday 30th October at midnight.

Working with leading construction companies, private investors, venture capitalists and academia, the COINS Construction Industry Grand Challenge provides an opportunity for people to showcase their innovative ideas. This gives the opportunity to potentially gain valuable professional development along with support and funding to pursue their construction industry ideas, by presenting to judges from some of the world’s most prestigious construction organisations.

This COINS Construction Industry Grand Challenge is suitable for anyone who has a big idea that can positively impact the lives of millions of people, by improving energy consumption and or sustainability leadership in construction. The competition is suitable for construction industry managers, technologists and professionals with the drive and ambition to succeed, as well as engineering students and recent graduates who are looking to get a kick start on the career ladder.

Applications must be completed before midnight on Friday 30th October, and are submitted via http://coins-grandchallenge.com/apply.

Robert Brown Chairman of the COINS Grand Challenge committee, commented, “We have received a few great entries for the COINS Construction Industry Grand Challenge and look forward to receiving many more during the final week. With less than a week to go until the competition closes, we want to encourage all applicants to submit their ideas and gain the opportunity to present them to judges from some of the world’s most prestigious organisations. Our two challenges offer some fantastic prizes. We want to see as many of these ideas as possible and provide the recognition they deserve for their potential in providing a positive impact to society and the construction industry.”

The competition offers two challenges, each with a unique prize. The finalists for each challenge will present and discuss their ideas with leaders in the fields of construction technology, engineering and academia, who will judge and select the winners from each category.

The first challenge - “New and Emerging Technologies” - relates to uncovering a big but viable technology-based idea that will significantly reduce energy consumption at any or all stages in the lifecycle of built assets. This could relate to any stage or process in the construction lifecycle, from component design and manufacture, through the build and on-going usage, or with an impact throughout the whole construction lifecycle. The prize for the winning entry for this competition is a place on Singularity University’s 7 day Executive Program.

The second challenge - “Leadership 35” - is for people under 35 who have the vision and personal qualities to bring a new approach to sustainability leadership within the construction industry. The prize for the winning entry will be a place on the Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business or Value Chains at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

In addition to the above, Bouygues UK is offering a 3-month paid internship in its in-house Sustainability Department for each challenge. This will give the winners of these internships the opportunity to participate in and understand how innovation is brought to life inside a large commercially focused organisation.

Bouygues UK is also offering a special discretionary award for the applicant with the most promising idea. Selected by Bouygues UK, this special prize could be won by one of the top 24 applicants, who will be offered the opportunity for their idea to be taken forward as part of Bouygues UK’ corporate R&D programme.

Shortlisted finalists will be announced on Friday 13th November, with the grand final taking place on Tuesday 8th December at Magdalene College Cambridge.

On the judging panel are Larry Sullivan, Derek Leaver and Robert Brown of COINS, Aleksandra Njagulj (Bouygues UK), Ian Heasman (Taylor Wimpey), Thomas Lau (Laing O’Rourke), Christopher Dyson (Carillion), Dr Deborah Morecroft (NanoFab Tools), Mike Halsall (Singularity University), Catherine Tilley and Dr Louise Driffill (University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership), and Ben Haldin (Fulcro Engineering).

The Challenge is sponsored by COINS, in support of COINS Foundation and in partnership with some of the world’s leading construction companies along with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and Singularity University at NASA Research Park in Silicon Valley, California.

Visit the competition website for more information: http://coins-grandchallenge.com/.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by COINS Global .