Sustainable construction must sustain all societies” There is no long-term sustainability without short-term sustenance. Building to meet the basic needs of society is urgent in many countries. Every human deserves shelter, clean water, schooling, access to necessary goods, and access to a hospital or clinic.

Many people want affordable housing – a chance to build or buy and maintain their own home. Such urgent problems in developing countries are largely neglected by affluent nations which have an abundance of empty buildings and which continue to amass wealth.

At the same time, these nations, with resource- and energy-intensive buildings, cities, and lifestyles, continue to consume the earth’s raw materials and energy resources at an alarming rate.

When social responsibility pervades the global construction scene, humankind will care for every member with fairness. [1]

The Holcim Fondation was established by the Holcim group (one of the world’s largest suppliers of cement, concrete, and aggregates).

“The objective of the Holcim Foundation is the non-commercial promotion and development of sustainable construction, regionally as well as globally. It is the mission of the Holcim Foundation to select and support initiatives that combine sustainable construction solutions with architectural quality and enhanced quality of life beyond technical solutions. The Holcim Foundation intends to encourage sustainable responses to the technological, environmental, socio-economic and cultural issues affecting building and construction.”

In 2005, two canadian projects won respectively, the gold and bronze Holcim awards for their ethical, innovative and envirommentally sensitive achievements.

Holcim Awards Gold 2005: Greening the Infrastructure at Benny Farm, Montréal, Canada; Type of project: Affordable housing L’OEUF (L’Office de L’Eclectisme Urbain et Fonctionnel) Montréal, Québec

The work puts forward a strong ethical position by offering to people an ecologically sensitive environment that could not normally afford the choice to do so.

Holcim Awards Bronze 2005: Efficient Fabric-Formed Concrete, Winnipeg, Canada; University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada The proposal to deploy geotextile fabrics that are available worldwide and are inexpensive presents a novel opportunity for the concrete industry to deliver products and services to broader range of clientele regardless of the level of industrial sophistication.

Notes : [1] Edward Schwarz, Manager of the Holcim Foundation