From wall-climbing robots to firestop solutions: COINS Grand Challenge shortlist announced
From wall-climbing robots to bespoke firestop solutions - finalists are announced for the COINS Grand Challenge.
Ideas to improve the built environment have been received from across the world for the 2022 COINS Grand Challenge, a global competition organised by Construction Industry Solutions Ltd (COINS) to encourage innovation in the construction sector.
This year’s shortlist has now been announced, with finalists hailing from Estonia, US, UK, Macedonia, Switzerland, New Zealand, Malaysia and Ghana.
The challenge has two entry categories, professional (Open Competition) or student (Undergraduate Competition), with shortlisted ideas ranging from wall-climbing robots and technologies to optimise building circularity to passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) materials.
Open Competition finalists are:
- Jack Cornes, a co-founder of UK company, HausBots, with a wall-climbing robot designed for the inspection and maintenance of the built environment. This will increase safety, reduce cost and speed up work at height.
- Estonia based Tarvo Kärgenberg with click-on Solarstone, a pioneering design which transforms standard PV panels into a 2 in 1 weatherproof roofing material.
- US construction life safety consultant Sharron Halpertwith bespoke firestop solutions for mass timber construction.
- Isabelle Gough, with London-based Cercula, an automated access point for construction carbon data.
- Kristijan Nelkovski of North Macedonia, with a system for fast energy-efficient modular construction.
- Australian based Peter Neil, with ZEBE, a sustainable high-performance building system, driven by digital manufacturing technology.
Student Competition finalists are
- Edwin Nsoh Awariyah, a student at Ashesi University in Ghana, with a safer, melamine-free alternative for waterproofing concrete.
- Nathan Chen from New Zealand, currently studying at the University of Pennsylvania, US, with an idea for ‘Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling’ (PDRC) materials which are designed to cool urban spaces without excess energy consumption or emission of harmful chemicals.
- Subarna Sivashanmugam, a student at Teesside University, UK, with a digital platform to optimise building circularity through semantic integration of BIM and LCA databases, enabling the supply chain to measure and manage life-cycle emissions.
- Malaysian student, Lai Jun Tung, with an idea for food waste interlocking concrete with cladding.
It's great see such a wide variety of ideas aiming to improve construction sustainability, efficiency and safety shortlisted for this year's COINS Grand Challenge. We are very proud to see the challenge go from strength to strength and hope that all the finalists go on to pursue a career in construction whether they win the competition or not.
Robert Brown, CEO, COINS
The final judging will take place this October in Birmingham (UK), when the finalists will present their idea to a panel of judges influential in the construction industry, including:
Stuart Binstock /PRESIDENT AND CEO – CONSTRUCTION FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (CFMA)
Oliver Novakovic / TECHNICAL & INNOVATION DIRECTOR – BARRATT PLC GROUP
Katie Tamblin / CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER – ACHILLES INFORMATION LTD
Neil Pike / HEAD OF BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT – OVERBURY PLC
Dr. Neha Gopinath / ASSOCIATE LECTURER IN MANAGEMENT - UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS
Jon Murrell / MANAGING DIRECTOR – CS ACCELERATE
Nicola Barclay MRTPI FRSA / HOUSING EXPERT
Lee Chadwick / CEO – SPOTLER GROUP
The COINS Grand Challenge finalists have the opportunity to be awarded up to £100k in prizes, which are:
- Winner Open Competition £5,000 (sponsored by Barratt Developments Plc)
- Winner Student / Undergraduate Competition £2,500 (sponsored by Single Point Solutions)
- Runner Up Open Competition £2,000 (sponsored by COINS)
- Runner Up Student / Undergraduate Competition £1,000 (sponsored by Henley Information Systems)
- COINS Investment Prize – an investment of up to £100,000
- COINS Software Innovation Prize – internship and work experience opportunities
For more details visit www.coins-grandchallenge.com
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