Holcim Prize : Awarding innovative ideas on sustainable development

In 3 consecutive years (2009-2011), Holcim Việt Nam (HVL) runs the Holcim Prize competition as a platform for students in 3rd year and above at national leading universities to contribute ideas for sustainable development in the areas of community development, environmental protection and sustainable construction.
 
Participating universities are HCM City University of Technology, Can Tho University, HCM City and Hanoi University of Architecture and HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities. The Holcim Prize will be expanded to seven national universities in 2012, including the HCMC University of Technical Education and Danang University of Technology.
 
So far, there have been hundreds of research topics submitted. The total award value is 400 million VND (USD20,000), of which 150 mio VND is for implementation of the best project.All HP award winning projects are highly practical and can be applied in the real world.

 
The ‘Pesticide Waste Management’ project that won the top award in 2009, proposed by a team from Can Tho University, was implemented in 2010 and is being replicated at 2 hamlets (Kenh Chin & Kien Thanh), Kien Luong District, Kien Giang Province this year with the participation of nearly 600 households. The project was created to raise rural farmers’ awareness of the environmental impact of improper disposal of pesticides.
 

The project team and a HVL representative on a site survey in Can Tho

The local farmers and HVL volunteers participated in collecting pesticide waste in Kien Giang
The top prize winner of the 2010 Holcim Prize, a team of students from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture, designed an eco-friendly floating toilet to be used in the Cai Rang floating market in Can Tho city. This project is being carried out this year and aims to be completed by year-end.

 
The ‘Eco-friendly floating toilet’ design being implemented in Can Tho.
 
A project named “Household-scale fresh-water distiling device for coastal residents” by Can Tho University students won the special prize and HVL’s application fund in 2011.
 

The experimental fresh-water distilling device using recycled materials.

Source: Vietnam Potentials.

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