Lafarge Africa is calling for entries from professionals and students for the 6th International LafargeHolcim Awards for Sustainable Construction.
The LafargeHolcim Awards recognises and rewards innovative projects for professionals and ‘bold ideas’ from students that address sustainability in construction. The competition emphasises the important role that architecture, engineering, urban planning and related disciplines have in achieving a more sustainable future.
At a press conference recently held in Lagos, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, communications, public affairs and sustainable development director for Lafarge Africa, urged more Nigerians to submit entries for the award. She disclosed that engineers, architects, builders, planners, construction firms, project owners, students and non-governmental organisations working in the building industry are all eligible to apply.
“Our aspiration is for Nigeria to be well represented across the Middle East and Africa region,” Ambrose-Medebem said.
“We are hopeful that more Nigerians would be encouraged by the success stories of others who have been recognised in past editions of the award, the likes of Nigerian-born Kunle Adeyemi. In 2014, Adeyemi won an Acknowledgement prize in the LafargeHolcim Awards for Chicoco Radio Media Center; the amphibious building in Delta City of Port Harcourt in Nigeria. Such ambitious and creative entries are what we seek for again to put Nigeria on the world map of sustainable construction. We sincerely hope that our professionals and students will seize this opportunity.” Ambrose-Medebem added.
While commending Lafarge for the initiative, Tonye Braide, immediate past president of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, described the initiative as laudable, in view of the abundance of opportunities to all prospects. He added that with the growing population and rate of urbanisation in Nigeria, it is heart-warming to see an organisation like Lafarge championing sustainable construction.
Speaking further, Braide said that the process of evaluation is both fair and transparent, adding that with the credibility of a company likes Lafarge Africa behind the award, quality will not be compromised.
“Such transparency is what you get when you have independent experts as juries from across the world—from Europe, North America, Latin America, Middle East Africa and Asia Pacific—who are coming together to evaluate and select outstanding entries.”
Explaining the process of evaluation, the Sustainable Development and Corporate Brand Manager, Lafarge Africa, Ms. Titilope Oguntuga said that the criteria, the five “target issues” for sustainable construction, is transparent: “innovation and transferability”, “ethical standards and social inclusion”, “resource and environmental performance”, “economic viability and compatibility” as well as “contextual and aesthetic impact”, constitute the evaluation criteria.
“Entries for the LafargeHolcim Awards will close on February 25, 2020. The regional jury evaluation will take place between June and July 2020 while regional winners will be announced in November 2020. The global winners will eventually emerge in mid-2021. Interested participants can look up application details on the Lafarge website, or send an email to[email protected]. We assure all participants of objectivity in the evaluation of the entries,” Oguntuga informed.
The LafargeHolcim Awards for Sustainable Construction were first launched in 2003. The international competition seeks real projects and visionary concepts in sustainable construction, irrespective of size and scale. It takes place every three years with a total of US$2 million in prize money and worldwide recognition as the ultimate reward.
ODINAKA ANUDU
