UltraTech Cement calls for entries to 5th edition of IndiaNext

Announces theme of this year’s initiative – ‘Build with Speed’

UltraTech Cement, India’s largest manufacturer of grey cement, white cement, and ready-mix concrete, has invited notable architects, experts and bright talent from the student community in the engineering and architectural sectors to register for the 5^th edition of its IndiaNext initiative.
The entry kits and details of the competition are available on www.ultratechindianext.com The theme of this year’s IndiaNext initiative is ‘Build with Speed’, in which India’s talent mix of engineers, architects, and designers will compete to choose a project from an urban or rural context and propose an innovative design to create an impact and help India achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).The theme of ‘Build with Speed’ aims at developing home designs, aided with latest technologies, processes and materials, that can recraft India’s growth story. The theme challenges participants to take up the ambitious challenge of fulfilling the nation’s housing development priorities, in a time-bound approach.

Participants choosing the urban context, will focus on development of housing solutions aimed at rehabilitation of migrant workers or slum-based population. Those who choose the rural context, will focus on developing housing solutions tailored for the homeless population or migrant labour residing in India’s villages. Entries under the rural context may also look at mass low-cost housing for communities likely to benefit from government schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G).

All entries this year will be accepted online and will be evaluated by an expert panel of architects across a wide array of parameters which will include speed of construction, creativity and innovation, longevity of the project, technology & materials used, scalability and overall impact which has been created.The last day of submission of entries is 31st January 2022.

Since its beginning in 2015, IndiaNext has attracted more than 10,000 participants over the last four editions. This initiative by UltraTech is aimed at encouraging budding talent amongst engineers and architects by bringing in innovative ideas to address the most critical issues of our nation’s development.

In the past editions, IndiaNext has focused on several critical areas such as Smart City Planning, Skill Development, Efficient Mobility and Public Transport, Water, Sanitation and Waste Management, Village Community Design, and Housing for a burgeoning population.

Notes to the Editor

• The IndiaNext Initiative is a collaborative and forward-thinking platform that harnesses the ideas and expertise of practising engineers, architects as well as the brightest students from the engineering and architecture sector in a collaborative setting to bring forth solutions to some of the country’s greatest infrastructure challenges.
• Under the Rural Context, the design addresses the challenge of building a home within an existing cluster while retaining the community flavour of the area under consideration. Provisions for robust infrastructure, social spaces, small amenities and overall dignified living must be an integral part of the proposal submitted.
• Under the Urban Context, the solution must address issues closely related to the performance of the chosen state with respect to the SDGs mentioned. Participants are encouraged to provide reasons for alignment to a particular SDG in their proposal.

About UltraTech Cement

UltraTech Cement Limited is the cement flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group. A USD 5.9 billion building solutions powerhouse, UltraTech is the largest manufacturer of grey cement, ready mix concrete (RMC) and white cement in India. With a consolidated grey cement capacity of 117.95 MTPA, it is the third largest cement producer in the world, excluding China. UltraTech has the distinction of being the only company globally (outside of China) to have 100+ MTPA of cement manufacturing capacity in a single country. The Company’s business operations span UAE, Bahrain, Sri Lanka and India.

UltraTech is a founding member of Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA). It is a signatory to the GCCA Climate Ambition 2050 and has committed to the Net Zero Concrete Roadmap announced by GCCA. UltraTech is focused on accelerating the decarbonisation of its operations. It has adopted new age tools like the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and Internal Carbon Price as well as set ambitious environmental targets through both EP100 and RE100. UltraTech is the first company in India and the second company in Asia to issue dollar-based sustainability linked bonds. As part of its CSR, UltraTech reaches out to more than 2.1 million beneficiaries in over 500 villages in 16 states across India covering areas of education, healthcare, sustainable livelihoods, community infrastructure and social causes.

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