Lafarge Africa Plc., in collaboration with Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa, has launched an initiative to drive innovation in the construction sector through a substantial cash prize of £25,000 (approximately N52 million). This funding aims to support innovative companies across various sectors, including construction, recycling, manufacturing, materials, chemistry, energy, data, design, artificial intelligence (AI), and more.
The joint statement from Lafarge and Innovate UK outlines the initiative’s primary goal: to discover innovative circular economy solutions using Construction Demolition Materials (CDM). This effort focuses on decarbonizing the construction industry and advancing sustainability through creative uses of CDM.
According to Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, Managing Director/CEO of Lafarge Africa Plc., “We are a building solutions company dedicated to sustainability, innovation, and operational excellence. As part of the Holcim Group, we are committed to reducing carbon emissions by promoting innovative ideas and technologies for sustainable transformation in the construction industry. We are looking for creative circular ideas to utilize CDM to tackle material waste and climate change challenges, contributing to the decarbonization of the sector.”
Babar Javed, Open Innovation Lead at Innovate UK, added, “The goal of Global Alliance Africa’s Open Innovation intervention is to assist large companies in finding innovative solutions to technical challenges that traditional supply chains cannot address. Our bespoke platform connects real industry problems with innovative companies or academic institutions that can offer novel, market-ready solutions. We are excited to partner with Lafarge Africa to uncover innovative approaches for recycling CDM.”
The application deadline for this innovation challenge is August 27, 2024. The selected winner will have the opportunity to pitch their idea to Lafarge Africa and collaborate on a trial project, furthering their contribution to sustainable practices in the construction industry.
