Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction
 | |
| Founded | 2003 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Holcim Ltd |
| Type | Educational, Promotional |
| Location |
|
| Coordinates | 47°24′52″N 8°33′35″E / 47.414571°N 8.559809°E |
Area served | Global |
| Product | Holcim Forum, Holcim Awards |
Employees | 6 |
| Slogan | Building sustainable foundations for society's future |
| Mission | Promote Sustainable Construction |
| Website | http://www.holcimfoundation.org |
The Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction is a non-profit organization. Its goal is to raise awareness of the role that architecture, engineering, urban planning and construction have in achieving a sustainable built future. The organization encourages and rewards sustainable responses to the technological, environmental, socioeconomic, and cultural issues affecting building and construction. The two main initiatives of the Foundation are the Holcim Forums (a series of academic symposia) and the Holcim Awards (a USD 2 million competition for sustainable construction projects and visions).[1]
History
The organization was established in 2003 in Zurich, Switzerland with Holcim Ltd as its sole sponsor. Holcim is a global supplier of cement and aggregates. The initiatives of the Foundation operate in a three-year cycle.[2]
Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction
The Holcim Awards is an international competition that seeks projects and visions in sustainable construction. It offers USD 2 million dollars in prize money[3] in each three-year cycle. Eligible for entry are projects in: buildings and civil engineering works; landscape, urban design and infrastructure; and materials, products and construction technologies.[4] There are two categories: The main category of the competition is open to architects, planners, engineers, and project owners that showcase sustainable responses to technological, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues affective contemporary building and construction. The fifteen projects that receive Holcim Awards Gold, Silver or Bronze in the five regions are then qualified for the competition for the Global Holcim Awards.[5] The “Next Generation” category is open to project visions of students aged 18 to 30. The first Holcim Awards took place from 2004 until 2006; the second Holcim Awards from 2007 until 2009; the third Holcim Awards from 2008 until 2012; and, the fourth Holcim Awards from 2013 until 2015.
Holcim Forum for Sustainable Construction
The Holcim Forum is a series of symposia on sustainable construction. The event is an academic platform for architects, engineers, construction professionals and specialists. It supports sustainable construction in the scientific field, among experts in the construction sector, business and society, and promotes interdisciplinary dialog, bring forward new ideas, and examine potential solutions.[6]
Past Forums
- 2004: Inaugural Holcim Forum on “Basic Needs” at ETH Zurich in Switzerland
- 2007: 2nd International Holcim Forum on “Urban_Trans_Formation” at Tongji University in Shanghai, China
- 2010: 3rd International Holcim Forum on “Re-inventing construction” at Universidad Iberoamericana (IBERO) in Mexico City, Mexico
- 2013: 4th International Holcim Forum on “Economy of Sustainable Construction” at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay), in Mumbai, India
Target issues for sustainable construction
The Holcim Foundation measures and evaluates sustainable construction using five target issues. 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.[7]
Innovation and transferability – “Progress”
The project must demonstrate innovation at the forefront of sustainable construction. Breakthroughs and trend-setting approaches, irrespective of scale, must be transferable to a range of other applications.[8]
Ethical standards and social equity – “People”
The project must adhere to the highest ethical standards and support social equity at all stages of construction, from planning and building processes to long-term impact on the fabric of that community. The project has to provide an advanced response in terms of ethical and social responsibility.[9]
Resources and environmental performance – “Planet”
The project must exhibit a sensible use and management of natural resources throughout its life cycle, including operation and maintenance. Long-term environmental concerns, whether pertaining to flows of material or energy, should be an integral part of the built structure.[10]
Economic viability and compatibility – “Prosperity”
The project must prove to be economically feasible and innovative as far as the deployment of financial resources is concerned. Funding must promote an economy of means and be compatible with the demands and constraints encountered throughout the construction’s life span.[11]
Contextual and aesthetic impact – “Place”
The project must convey a high standard of architectural quality in the way it addresses cultural and physical factors. With space and form of utmost significance, the construction must have a lasting aesthetic impact on its surrounding environment.[12]
Board of the Holcim Foundation
- Rolf Soiron (Chairman of the Board), former Chairman, Holcim, Switzerland[13]
- Bernard Fontana (Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Holcim Foundation, Chairman of the Steering Committee), CEO, Holcim, Switzerland
- Marilyne Andersen, Full Professor of Sustainable Construction Technologies and Dean of Architecture, Civil & Environmental Engineering (ENAC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
- Marc Angélil, Senior Dean, Department of Architecture, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) and Founding Partner, agps.architecture, Switzerland
- Alejandro Aravena, Executive Director, Elemental, Chile
- Maria Atkinson, Sustainability Business Advisor and Founding CEO, Green Building Council of Australia
- Harry Gugger, Professor of Architecture, Civil & Environmental Engineering (ENAC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
- Rachel Kyte, Vice President and Special Envoy for Climate Change, World Bank Group, USA
- Enrique Norten, Principal and Founder, TEN Arquitectos, Mexico/USA
- Simon Upton, Director of the OECD Environment Directorate, New Zealand/France
- Roland Walker (Delegate), former Head of Corporate Communications, Holcim, Switzerland
Steering Committee
- Bernard Fontana (Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Holcim Foundation, Chairman of the Steering Committee), CEO, Holcim, Switzerland
- Marilyne Andersen, Full Professor of Sustainable Construction Technologies and Dean of Architecture, Civil & Environmental Engineering (ENAC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
- Marc Angélil, Senior Dean, Department of Architecture, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) and Founding Partner, agps.architecture, Switzerland
- Harry Gugger, Professor of Architecture, Civil & Environmental Engineering (ENAC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
- Roland Walker (Delegate), former Head of Corporate Communications, Holcim, Switzerland
Academic Committee and Partner Universities
Partner universities of the Foundation host the Holcim Forums, define the evaluation criteria to be used for the Holcim Awards, and put together the panels that judge the competition entries. The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) leads the Academic Committee which provides academic and technical support.[14]
Partner universities[15]
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Switzerland
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Tongji University in Shanghai, China
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP) in São Paulo, Brazil
- University of the Witwatersrand, in Johannesburg, South Africa
- Universidad Iberoamericana (IBERO), in Mexico City, Mexico
- Ecole Supérieure d’Architecture de Casablanca (EAC), in Casablanca, Morocco
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay), in Mumbai, India
- American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon
- University of Melbourne, Australia
References
- ↑ "Introduction". Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ↑ "Origin". Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ↑ "Prizes". Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ↑ "Q&A". Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ↑ "Awards Introduction". Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ↑ "Forum Introduction". Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ↑ "Target Issues". Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ↑ "Progress". Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ↑ "People". Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ↑ "Planet". Retrieved 8 April 2014.
- ↑ "Prosperity". Retrieved 8 April 2014.
- ↑ "Place". Retrieved 8 April 2014.
- ↑ "Board of the Holcim Foundation". Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ↑ "Academic Committee". Retrieved 8 April 2014.
- ↑ "Partner Universities". Retrieved 14 January 2015.
Sources
- Schwarz, Edward; Leutenegger, Marius; Schadegg, Ernst; Wentz, Daniel (2005). Holcim Forum for Sustainable Construction 2004. Stäubli Verlag AG, Switzerland. ISBN 3-7266-0069-8.
- Wentz, Daniel (2005). Community center in South Africa. Stäubli Verlag AG, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-7266-0082-2.
- Schwarz, Edward; Leutenegger, Marius; Siress, Cary (2006). Holcim Awards 2005/2006. Stäubli Verlag AG, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-7266-0076-1.
- Schwarz, Edward; Wentz, Daniel (2006). Office building in Costa Rica. Stäubli Verlag AG, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-7266-0075-4.
- Wentz, Daniel (2007). Research center in Switzerland. Stäubli Verlag AG, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-7266-0079-2.
- Schwarz, Edward; Bratton, Denise L.; Leutenegger, Marius (2007). Urban Trans Formation. Stäubli Verlag AG, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-7266-0080-8.
- Wentz, Daniel (2008). Office building in India. Stäubli Verlag AG, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-7266-0083-9.
- Ruby, Ilka; Ruby, Andreas (2007). Urban Trans Formation. Idea Books, Amsterdam. ISBN 978-3-00-024878-8.
- Schwarz, Edward; Leutenegger, Marius; Jones, Kevin (2009). Holcim Awards 2008/2009. Stäubli Verlag AG, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-7266-0084-6.
- Wentz, Daniel (2009). Clothing factory in Sri Lanka. Stäubli Verlag AG, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-7266-0086-0.
- Wentz, Daniel (2010). IUCN Conservation Centre in Gland, Switzerland. Stäubli Verlag AG, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-7266-0088-4.
- Schwarz, Edward; Leutenegger, Marius (2010). re-inventing construction. Stäubli Verlag AG, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-7266-0090-7.
- Ruby, Ilka; Ruby, Andreas (2010). RE-INVENTING CONSTRUCTION. Ruby Press, Berlin, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-9813436-2-5.
- Ruby, Ilka; Ruby, Andreas (2011). University building in France – Nantes School of Architecture. Stäubli Verlag AG, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-7266-0092-1.