World Habitat Awards

Overview

Submissions are welcomed for the 2017/18 World Habitat Awards.

Housing projects & 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.

Evaluation visits are made to some of the shortlisted projects before recommendations are put forward to a panel of external judges, including the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT).

Who can enter:

• 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.

Suggested areas for submission:

• Provision of low-cost, affordable housing for low-income households

• Environmentally sustainable housing - Development/use of sustainable building materials and technologies; Provision of resource- and energy-efficient housing; Promotion of sustainable lifestyles in urban and/or rural areas

• Restoration of existing housing - Restoration of areas of decayed housing and/or adaptive reuse of buildings; Urban/slum upgrading

• Provision of housing designed to withstand natural disasters

• Housing provision for those with special needs - Provision of housing for homeless people; Housing specifically designed to meet the needs of older persons and those with other special needs

• Technical innovation - Innovative design and/or construction materials; The use of information and communication technologies in housing

• Housing developed and managed on a cooperative or other socially sustainable basis

• Projects and processes that ensure the right to land and housing

• Please note that the project subjects listed above are suggestions only. Projects relating to other housing issues may be submitted if desired.