If you have an idea to improve sustainability in construction, the 2020 COINS Grand Challenge wants to hear it.
Construction software specialists COINS are serious about giving back to the industry behind their success. The 2020 COINS Grand Challenge calls for ideas to improve the construction industry or the built environment. It’s open to professionals and students around the world, whether grounded in technology, engineering, construction management or sustainability. Previous entries include plans to minimise waste, reduce costs or improve sustainability, safety, quality or compliance throughout the built life cycle.
The competition is judged by leading figures in the construction industry from across the globe. Katie Tamblin, Chief Product Officer, Achilles, was a judge in the 2019 competition. “People considering entering the COINS Grand Challenge should do so because the impact you can have is massive,” she says. “It’s a platform to innovate and incubate change in the construction sector on a global scale and there are very few things like it.”
The challenge has two entry categories, either Professional (Open Competition) or Undergraduate. Last year the 12 finalists hailed from all over the world with a wide variety of ideas. The winner of last year’s Open Competition was Michael Evans whose climate-saving CO2LOC technology aims to reduce the embedded carbon in construction projects.
Evans, CEO of Cambridge Carbon Capture Ltd, UK says, “Winning this award has been really fantastic for us as we’re at a stage in the development of our technology where we really need to get exposure to the construction sector, so that they can adopt some of the materials we’re using and take some risks in trying something new. We’re developing a technology that can capture CO2 and convert it into materials that can be used in the construction sector. And the beauty of that is that we’re capturing the CO2 so that it doesn’t go into the atmosphere, but we’re also creating carbon-negative building materials which are displacing other more carbon intensive materials. So overall, we’re making the construction industry a lot cleaner!”
Robert Brown, CEO of COINS, has played a major role in establishing the COINS Grand Challenge. He says, “Every year the number and quality of the applications for the Grand Challenge gets stronger and stronger. It’s great to see the level of interest in new and emerging technology in the construction industry continue to grow.”
The 2020 COINS Grand Challenge is now open for entries. The winners receive cash prizes, and there is investment funding in excess of AU$220,000, industry exposure and more. Enter by 22 June at www.coins-grandchallenge.com
Image: Winner Open Competition 2019 Michael Evans
