CIOB Innovation awards highlight digital and training ideas

The CIOB International Innovation & Research Awards 2013 are now open for entries and will this year feature two new categories, introduced to spotlight promising innovations in digital technology and education and training.

The annual awards recognise achievement across the built environment and are open to entries from recent graduates, industry practitioners or experienced academics, including international and non-CIOB members.

The Digital Innovation Award will recognise the most forward thinking use of digital technologies in design, construction or operation within the built environment. Entries can cover areas such as BIM, advanced visualisation or simulation, mobile technology and e-commerce.

The Innovation in Education and Training Award will recognise outstanding contributions to education and training, covering new approaches to teaching and learning, curriculum development, apprenticeships, skills, professional or policy development.

These two new awards join the four existing categories: the Undergraduate Dissertation Award; the Masters Dissertation Award; the Research Paper Award; and the Innovation Achiever’s Award.

Dr Chung-Chin Kao, innovation and research manager at the CIOB, told CM: “By introducing the two new categories  we wanted to open up the awards to industry innovation and research rather than just academia. We wanted to acknowledge the novel application of digital technologies, which will play a major role in shaping the future of construction, and to promote and encourage new approaches to teaching and learning, and education initiatives between academia and industry.”

Winners in each category will be announced at a ceremony scheduled for 22 March, and each must demonstrate that they have improved upon, or moved beyond, current expectations of best practice.

The overall winner in each category will receive £1,000, plus a trophy and a certificate, the runner up will receive a Highly Commended Award, plus £500, a trophy and a certificate. A Merit Award, trophy and certificate will go to third place entries.

The CIOB International Innovation & Research Awards has a new permanent website – http://iandrawards.ciob.org – set up to promote winners’ achievements through articles and news stories that can be accessed after the ceremony.