EPA and partners invite architects, builders, and students to participate in the second Lifecycle Building Challenge, which seeks designs that facilitate building material adaptation and reuse, minimize waste, and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Ideas generated by the contest will jumpstart the industry to help divert more of the 100 million tons of construction and demolition debris sent each year to landfills in the U.S., Challenge organizers contend.

The “Lifecycle Building Challenge 2” is co-sponsored by the Building Materials Reuse Association, American Institute of Architects, EPA Region 4 Partner Southface Energy Institute, and West Coast Green. They encourage professionals and students nationwide to submit by July 31 designs and ideas that support cost-effective disassembly and anticipate the future use of building materials. Students, architects, reuse experts, engineers, builders, product designers, educators and environmental advocates are encouraged to apply for the Web-based competition. The challenge, open to built and un-built work, has two main categories a) Building-an entire building from foundation to roof; and, b) Component, Tool and Service-a building connector, strategy or other idea.

Outstanding entries in each category will be recognized and publicized in national journals and at conferences nationwide, while the Collaborative for High Performance Schools selects a Best School Design; West Coast Green recognizes the Best Residential Entry; and, Building Materials Reuse Association pegs the Best Greenhouse Gas Reduction Design. At the end of the competition, judges will determine each category's winning entries, which will be recognized at EPA's Lifecycle Building Conference in November 2008.