Scope

The Asia-Pacific Design for Safety Award Competition promotes safety in the construction industry through innovative approaches across various domains. The competition focuses on recognising and rewarding excellence in the following areas:

Research Work: Research initiatives that focus on safety in the construction industry. This can include studies on new safety methodologies, risk management techniques, policy development, or the effectiveness of existing safety codes and practices. Research contributing to a deeper understanding of safety during any phase of a construction project's lifecycle is encouraged.

Design/Build Projects: Architectural and engineering projects that integrate safety considerations throughout their design and construction. We seek projects demonstrating proactive measures in hazard identification, risk assessment, and incorporating safety features to protect workers and future structure users.

Products: Development and application of new or improved safety products that can be used in construction settings. This includes tools, machinery, personal protective equipment, and other innovations that enhance safety on construction sites.

The competition encourages entries that address safety from a holistic perspective, considering the entire lifecycle of construction projects, including planning, execution, maintenance, and demolition. The goal is to foster a culture of safety that permeates safety culture permeating every aspect of construction, ultimately reducing injuries and fatalities associated with construction work.

Briefing Session of the Asia-Pacific Design for Safety Award Competition

The Asia-Pacific Design for Safety Award Competition 2024 is designed to inspire innovation and enhance safety in construction design. This competition is open to researchers, industry practitioners, and innovators, challenging them to introduce transformative methodologies that significantly improve safety during the design phase of construction projects.

At the briefing session, participants will learn about the competition's themes, entry criteria, judging process, and so on.

Details are as follows:

• Date: 7 August, 2024 (Wednesday)
• Time: 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
• Mode: Hybrid
• Location: PolyU campus, Hong Kong

For those interested in attending, we have set up two registration links to best suits your need:

If you want to participate via Zoom, please register through this Link:https://forms.office.com/r/CL5xpYPqPV?origin=lprLink.

If you want to participate in person, please register through this Link:https://forms.office.com/r/6Nv8cL1Qvu?origin=lprLink.

The poster of the event is shown below:

Entry Requirements

The competition is open to researchers, industry practitioners, and innovators.

Submissions must be related to construction projects in the Asia-Pacific region.

Submissions must be the original work of the participants, and any form of plagiarism will result in disqualification

The submissions must be in English.

All submissions must be submitted by the specified deadline. Late submissions will not be considered.

Please note that shortlisted submissions may be invited for a presentation scheduled for September 2024 (for submissions outside of Hong Kong, this can be via Zoom).

At least one representative of the shortlisted submissions should be available to attend the awards ceremony at their own travel cost in October 2024.

Submit the completed application form via email: rc.dfs@polyu.edu.hk

Judging Criteria

The judging criteria will be divided into two parts: report and presentation.

Submission

Impact on safety and originality

Evaluate the effectiveness of the design in significantly reducing or eliminating health and safety risks throughout the project's lifecycle. The design should demonstrate a substantial positive impact on safety outcomes and introduce original solutions that are not commonly used in the industry.

Creativity, innovation, and uniqueness

Assess the originality and ingenuity of the design solutions. The design should introduce novel and practical ideas that are not readily available in the market, enhancing safety during the construction, maintenance, and repair stages.

Feasibility and practicality

Consider the scalability and practicality of the design. The design should be achievable within a reasonable budget, using available technology and resources, without incurring exorbitant costs or requiring unattainable workmanship

Significance to industry applicability and continuity

Evaluate the potential for the design to be widely adopted across various locations and construction projects. The design should offer sustainable benefits beyond a single project, contributing to long-term improvements and advancements within the industry.

Presentation

Clarity and effectiveness of communication

Evaluate how clearly and effectively the entrant communicates their design concepts, objectives, and outcomes, considering the logical flow, clarity of speech, and ability to engage the audience.

Visual aids and supporting materials

Assess the quality and relevance of visual aids, considering the clarity, relevance, and effective use of graphics such as slides and diagrams.

Q&A Session - depth of knowledge and originality

Evaluate the entrant's expertise and the originality of the design during the Q&A session, considering their ability to answer questions confidently, demonstrate understanding, and highlight unique and innovative aspects.

Overall presentation assessment

Assess the overall effectiveness and professionalism of the presentation, considering the presenter's demeanour, time management, and the overall impact and persuasiveness of the presentation.

Award Prizes

There are 4 tiers of awards:

Gold Award (one): HKD30,000

Silver Award (one): HKD20,000

Bronze Award (one): HKD10,000

Merit Award (two): HKD5,000

Enquiry

For enquiries, please contact Email rc.dfs@polyu.edu.hk.