IES sponsors 2nd annual BrickStainable competition

BOSTON — Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) has announced its sponsorship of the 2nd Annual BrickStainable International Design Competition. More than 200 teams of architects, engineers, material scientists, landscape architects, ecologists and students competed to design sustainable buildings for the contest using clay brick as the primary material.

The BrickStainable Competition’s goal is to pursue sustainable building design solutions that exploit the unique properties of brick masonry construction as well as seek new ideas in the development of this age-old building material. The target: net zero. The competition has two categories — Integrated Building Design and Technical Design. Jurors are looking for evidence of the project’s performance and the use of BIM, design aesthetics, and energy, solar and daylighting modelling software.

“We are very proud to be an official sponsor of the BrickStainable Competition,” said Dr. Don McLean, founder and CEO of IES. “IES and BrickStainable both share a common vision of making a more sustainable world through encouraging environmentally-sound building practices from the earliest stages of design. Our hope is that this competition will foster the innovation and creativity the industry needs to design and construct the next generation of sustainable buildings.”

Winners will receive a $10,000 cash grand prize and $7,500 cash grand prize in the Building Design and Technical Design categories, respectively. Up to three honorable mention winners in each category will receive $2,000 each. All winners will be flown to Washington, D.C. for the awards celebration on March 31, 2011 at the National Building Museum, a prime example of brick masonry construction.

“We’re honored that IES has embraced the vision of the BrickStainable Design Competition. It is through their support and involvement that BrickStainable is able to continue to nurture the development of integrative design in the built environment and the use of sustainable building practices,” said Alan Richardson, president of Potomac Valley Brick, the competition’s creator.

Competition entries were due Dec. 15, and the winners will be honored on March 31, 2011 at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. Competition requirements, past award winners and award ceremony photos are available at www.BrickStainable.com.