Under ECPA, the Brazilian Government has joined the U.S. government and other U.S. organizations in carrying out the Sustainable Urban Planning Initiative. The Department of State has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop public/private partnerships with the Ashoka Changemakers foundation, the American Planning Association and the Rockefeller Foundation. This effort launched a global competition entitled, Sustainable Urban Housing: Collaborating for Livable and Inclusive Cities. Eleven finalists from around the globe reached the final phase. The competition identified innovative solutions for providing sustainable, energy efficient housing in a way that unleashes economic opportunities for the urban poor, and builds smarter, cleaner cities around the world. The winning entries will each receive US $10,000 to scale-up these initiatives. Three entries emerged as winners of the competition through the global public voting stage:

Developing Real Estate for Squatters and Tenants of the City of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Zero Waste, Sustainable Architecture, Renewable Energy: Unlimited Source of Renewable Materials for Sustainable Housing, Brazil
Green Development Zone, USA.

Register to attend the award ceremony and celebrate the finalists, the winners and the end of the competition as well as begin the next phase of this initiative with a host of exciting panels to find solutions to our rapidly urbanizing world.

Related Link: Ashoka Changemakers Finalists and Winners