Could your idea make our built environment more sustainable? The 2019 COINS Grand Challenge is an opportunity to win funding of over £115k, business support and more. Enter by 12 April here.
This exciting global competition is organised by Construction Industry Solutions Ltd (COINS) to boost innovation within the construction industry. Open to anyone with ideas to improve the built environment – from reducing costs, increasing efficiency, improving sustainability, safety, quality or compliance throughout the built life cycle.
The challenge has two entry categories, either professional (Open Competition) or undergraduate, with a focus on new or emerging technology.
Winning entries to last year’s competition included a solution to tackle the growing issue of plastic pollution in our oceans with a concept for bio-integrated marine construction. This was submitted by Armelle Coutant, a student at Stanford University, who won the Undergraduate competition. With degrees in both Biology and Architectural Engineering, her concept was to create connections between various fields to produce new and innovative materials for marine construction.
Armelle Coutant, 2018 COINS Grand Challenge Undergraduate winner from COINS GLOBAL on Vimeo.
She comments “The key part of successful coral reef growth is the substrate that they have to attach on. Substrate is an important part of setting up a coral nursery. In the construction industry, attention is starting to draw towards the use of certain types of algae as a base for construction materials as the polymer properties of certain types of algae give strength all while maintaining core flexibility”. Armelle continues: “My experience at COINS Grand Challenge was absolutely incredible from start to finish. I especially want to mention how proud I was to meet such brilliant young people as my fellow finalists.”
An idea for chemical free plastic extrusion technology to transform plastic garbage into durable plastic timbers used for building and construction, entered by Christian Mwijage from Tanzania, was nominated as runner up in the 2018 Open Competition
There is an impressive line up of judges which will give valuable exposure to ideas entered, these include Head of Corporate Sustainability at Barratt Developments Plc, Sarah Pratt who has worked in environmental management and sustainability for 20 years, read more
All shortlisted entrants will enjoy an expenses paid trip to the Grand Finale at the Imperial War Museum North, Manchester (UK) in June.
Last year, 11 finalists represented 7 countries and a wide variety of ideas. The 2019 COINS Grand Challenge is now open for entries, with the deadline entries being 12 April – enter online at www.coins-grandchallenge.com
