The World Habitat Awards were established in 1985 by the Building and Social Housing Foundation as part of its contribution to the United Nations International Year of Shelter for the Homeless.

Every year a prize of £10,000 and an award are given to two winners – projects that provide practical and innovative solutions to current housing needs and problems. The awards are presented at a UN-Habitat global event.

Location:

 Online

 Benefits

Housing projects and approaches are sought that

• Demonstrate practical, innovative and sustainable solutions to current housing issues faced by countries all around the world
• Can be transferred or adapted for use as appropriate
• Are already being implemented or are completed ie not at design stage or very early stages of development
• View the term habitat from a broad perspective and bring other benefits as well, such as energy or water saving, income generation, social inclusion, community and individual empowerment, health benefits, capacity building or education.
• A prize of £10,000 and an award are given to two winners.
• All entries are assessed and up to 12 projects are shortlisted by an assessment committee. These shortlisted projects are then evaluated by an independent advisory group.

 Eligibilities

• Any individual, organisation or government who has an innovative and practical solution to housing needs and problems from any country of the world.
• More than one entry can be made by the same individual or organisation.
• Entries should relate to housing projects and processes that are either completed or in progress. Those that are at design stage only or in the very early stages of development cannot be considered.
• Previous entrants can re-submit in subsequent years providing that the project has been further developed in the intervening time period.

Eligible Regions: Open For All  

APPLICATION PROCESS

• Initial submissions should comprise a concise description of the key aspects of the project or approach, accompanied by images where possible.
• Full plans, costings and evaluation reports are not required at this stage, although can be supplied if you wish to do so (the main headings under which information should be supplied are set out on the entry form).
• Submissions can be made in English, Spanish or French.
• All entries are assessed and up to 12 projects are shortlisted by an assessment committee. These shortlisted projects are then evaluated by an independent advisory group.

Shortlisted projects are asked for the following information:

1. A detailed description of the project or approach, including:

• Aims and objectives of the project.
• A description of the context of the project and the problems it is designed to overcome.
• A full description of the project, including physical, social and financial aspects.
• A statement detailing both the capital costs of establishing the project and the revenue costs, where appropriate, of running it.
• A clear identification of the key innovative features of the project.
• An assessment of the impact of the project and results achieved to date.
• A statement of roles of the residents and different partners involved in the project.
• Identification of the extent to which the approach used in the project has been transferred locally, nationally or internationally.

2. An evaluation of the financial, social and environmental sustainability of the project.

3. Any barriers encountered in the project as well as lessons learned.

4. The format of text, plans, diagrams and photographic presentation is entirely at the candidate’s discretion, subject to a size limit of A4 or slightly larger.

Application Deadline: March 1, 2018

>> Apply here