Growthpoint’s annual Greenovate Awards are back! In partnership with the Green Building Council of SA (GBCSA), the programme showcases up-and-coming talent and innovations in the built environment.
Now in its ninth year, the awards have focused on sparking a passion for sustainable development initially including students from the built environment and in engineering. This year, the awards will include a technology solutions category.
“There is vast opportunity in the PropTech space for the real estate sector – both for unlisted and listed property – innovators and entrepreneurs alike. The possibilities include disrupting a conservative and slow-moving industry, attracting investment, boosting productivity, shifting mindsets to a technology-forward understanding of property, building better future cities, and enhancing tenants’ experience. This year, the Greenovate Awards will not only highlight green innovation but also showcase what’s next in PropTech and sustainability within the South African context,” comments Grahame Cruickshanks, Head of Sustainability and Utilities at Growthpoint.
The challenge for all three categories – property, engineering, and PropTech – is simple: conduct research to propose unique and sustainable solutions to real-life problems which will be presented to a judging panel of industry decision-makers.
This year, those entering the Greenovate Awards will have access to some of the most exciting mentorship and collaborative opportunities available in the property industry today, with expert guidance and access to crucial resources.
The top teams in each category will take to the innovation stage at the 2024 GBCSA Convention for a career-defining opportunity to present their ground-breaking projects to business leaders and influencers. All winners of the Greenovate Awards will also be treated to exclusive tickets to attend this event from the GBCSA, with a travel and accommodation allowance sponsored by Growthpoint.
The winning team in each category will also receive R37 000, with the runner ups receiving R18 500 and third place taking home R12 500, all sponsored by Growthpoint.
There is also a prestigious award from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and linked to EDGE green building certification, an innovation of the IFC, where one winner between the property and engineering stream will receive a laptop and EDGE Expert training with the GBCSA. The top three participants from each stream will also win entry to a nationally recognised GBCSA Accredited Professional (AP) Candidate Course.
PropTech category entries will be accepted from master’s and PHD university students in property studies, construction, quantity surveying or engineering. Post-graduate Technikon students can also enter. What is more, for the first time the competition is extending entries beyond the student community to include small businesses working on technological innovation that are still within the research and development phase.
This year, participating universities include the University of Cape Town, University of the Witwatersrand, University of Pretoria, University of Free State, University of Johannesburg, Stellenbosch University, Northwest University, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, and University of KwaZulu-Natal.
All PropTech submission summaries must be entered by the 31st of July 2023. Ten finalists will be chosen from the entries and announced on the 31st of August 2023. All finalists will be invited to present their research to an expert panel of judges on the 29th of November 2023 and the winners in each category, will be announced at the prestigious gala dinner and prize-giving, an exclusive event with a reputation for opening doors for young green thinkers.
