Lafarge Africa Announces Commencement of 2023 Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction

Bennett Oghifo

Lafarge Africa Plc., a leading Sub-Saharan Africa Building Solutions Company and member of Holcim, the global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, has announced the commencement of the internationally renowned Holcim Awards for sustainable construction. 

The Holcim Awards, which was announced at a virtual press conference recently, recognises and promotes projects that combine sustainable designs and sustainable construction with architectural excellence is now open for entries.  

The Holcim Awards are a competition organised by the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, an independent non-profit organisation.

The leading building solutions company is therefore calling on professionals in Nigeria’s built and construction sector to participate in the 2023 edition of the awards which is seeking real-world projects that are client-supported and exemplify sustainable construction. 

To be eligible, the project must not have started construction before January 1, 2022, and must be at the following stages: detailed design, complete design, under construction, and completed construction.  

According to the CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc, Khaled EL Dokani, the purpose of the global awards competition is to showcase and reward leading-edge thinking and real-world examples in practice that can accelerate the global movement for sustainable construction. 

Speaking at the Holcim Awards media conference organised by Lafarge Africa in Nigeria and held on March 1, 2023, the Head of Sustainability and Corporate Brand, Titilope Oguntugua said: ‘The competition features a total prize money of USD 1 million and is open for projects in architecture, building and civil engineering, landscape and urban design, materials, products, and construction technologies. The competition has two categories and is conducted in parallel as separate regional competitions across five regions: Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East Africa, and North America. USD 200,000 per region will be shared between winners of Holcim Awards Gold, Silver, Bronze, and acknowledgement prizes in every region.’

Lafarge Africa therefore calls on all eligible engineers, architects, builders, planners, construction firms, and project owners to be part of this opportunity to make a mark in the global construction space by showcasing how their projects are contributing to a more sustainable built environment.  

Oguntuga also noted that all entries will be evaluated by independent expert juries who will later nominate a shortlist of winners. Entries will be evaluated using the Holcim Foundation’s renewed goals for sustainable construction that serves as a framework to drive system change: uplifting places, a healthy planet, viable economics, and thriving communities. 

The juries will be chaired by Tatiana Bilbao, Founder, Tatiana Bilbao Estudio (for region Latin America), Craig Dykers, Founding Partner, Snøhetta (North America), Lesley Lokko, Founder, African Futures Institute (Middle East Africa), Manit Rastogi, Founding Partner, Morphogenesis (Asia Pacific), and Belinda Tato, Founding member, Ecosistema Urbano (Europe).

Submitting entries in the competition is free using a web-based form available at www.holcimawards.org to provide information in English on the project design team, project summary, project sustainability profile including data points, as well as project images. There is no limit to the number of entries an individual/team can submit. The competition is open for entries until March 30, 2023, at 14:00 hrs UTC.

Winners from all regions will be invited to the prize announcement ceremony to be held at the 18th International Venice Biennale of Architecture: The Laboratory of the Future in November.

The Holcim awards, a pioneering global awards competition launched in 2004 has recognized over 250 prize winners from 30,000 entries in 130 countries, with six international competition cycles spanning two decades. The initiative has grown to be the most significant competition for sustainable construction.  

Lafarge Africa Plc, a leading Sub-Saharan Africa building solutions company, is a member of Holcim Limited, a world leader in building solutions accelerating our world’s green transformation. Listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Lafarge Africa is actively participating in the urbanization and economic growth of Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa.

Lafarge Africa has the widest footprint in Nigeria with cement operations in the South West (Ewekoro and Sagamu in Ogun State), North East (Ashaka, in Gombe State), South East (Mfamosing, Cross Rivers State) with Ready-Mix operations in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. Lafarge Africa has a current installed cement production capacity of 10.5Mtpa.

Lafarge Africa leverages on its innovative expertise to provide value-added products and services solutions in the building and construction industry in Nigeria.

Holcim builds progress for people and the planet. As a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, Holcim is enabling greener cities, smarter infrastructure and improving living standards around the world. With sustainability at the core of its strategy Holcim is becoming a net zero company, with its people and communities at the heart of its success. The company is driving the circular economy as a world leader in recycling to build more with less. Holcim is the company behind some of the world’s most trusted brands in the building sector including ACC, Aggregate Industries, Ambuja Cement, Disensa, Firestone Building Products, Geocycle, Holcim and Lafarge. Holcim is 70,000 people around the world who are passionate about building progress for people and the planet through four business segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates and Solutions & Products.

Holcim builds progress for people and the planet. As a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, Holcim is enabling greener cities, smarter infrastructure and improving living standards around the world. With sustainability at the core of its strategy Holcim is becoming a net zero company, with its people and communities at the heart of its success. The company is driving the circular economy as a world leader in recycling to build more with less. Holcim is the company behind some of the world’s most trusted brands in the building sector including ACC, Aggregate Industries, Ambuja Cement, Disensa, Firestone Building Products, Geocycle, Holcim and Lafarge. Holcim is 70,000 people around the world who are passionate about building progress for people and the planet through four business segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates and Solutions & Products.Holcim builds progress for people and the planet. As a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, Holcim is enabling greener cities, smarter infrastructure and improving living standards around the world. With sustainability at the core of its strategy Holcim is becoming a net zero company, with its people and communities at the heart of its success. The company is driving the circular economy as a world leader in recycling to build more with less. Holcim is the company behind some of the world’s most trusted brands in the building sector including ACC, Aggregate Industries, Ambuja Cement, Disensa, Firestone Building Products, Geocycle, Holcim and Lafarge. Holcim is 70,000 people around the world who are passionate about building progress for people and the planet through four business segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates and Solutions & Products.