SGP shortlisted for AJ100 Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award 2023

Stephen George + Partners (SGP) is thrilled to announce that it has been shortlisted for the 2023 AJ100 Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award for its Better Buildings toolkit, an interactive programme that introduces primary school children to the importance of building sustainably.

The AJ100 awards programme celebrates the achievements of the UK’s largest architecture practices, including those leading the way on sustainability. To be considered for the Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award, a practice needs to submit an initiative that demonstrates an exemplary and innovative approach to sustainability.

Better Buildings is an open source and free-to-use website created by SGP. It introduces primary school children to sustainability and embodied carbon in building materials through a classroom, teacher-led programme. This can be run as a one-off session or a series of timetabled lessons aligned to the National Curriculum. The website includes animated speaking characters, fascinating facts, interactive carbon indicators, questions and activities as it explores a range of traditional and alternative building materials. It culminates in the opportunity for children to design their own low-carbon buildings.

In 2022 SGP delivered Better Buildings, alongside class teachers, at schools in London, the Midlands and Leeds and has shared the programme via the World Wildlife Fund, the Let’s Go Zero schools’ sustainability programme and Leicestershire City Council’s Sustainable Schools team.

SGP’s Sustainability Lead, Simon Matthews, comments: “Sustainability is one of the defining issues for architects working today and it’s a great honour to be shortlisted for the AJ100 Sustainability Initiative Award for our work on a toolkit that we hope will influence the architects of tomorrow. We are delighted at the success of Better Buildings to date and look forward to engaging with many more children and supporting organisations in the months and years to come. Regardless of the eventual outcome of these awards, we will ultimately measure success by the number of schools engaged, and the degree to which we can inspire children using Better Buildings to embrace sustainability.”

The AJ100 Awards 2023 will be announced at a ceremony at the Honourable Artillery Company, London, on 21 June 2023.

For more information on Better Buildings visit: https://betterbuildings.stephengeorge.co.uk/