The United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and Resources (UNU-FLORES) has announced the launch of the House of No Waste Competition (HØW), a global architecture competition targeting young professionals and students in the built environment sector. The competition aims to address pressing issues related to circular economy principles and waste management in construction and design.

The initiative serves as a central element of UNU-FLORES' celebration of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations University. The competition specifically calls upon aspiring young architects, landscape architects, building and structural engineers, urban planners, builders, material and environmental scientists, product designers, and other built environment professionals to participate in this global challenge.

Eligibility for the competition is restricted to the next generation of professionals. Project authors must be young professionals or students who either hold a degree in relevant fields or are currently enrolled in related programs. Participants must be no older than 40 years at the competition's opening, meaning their date of birth must be later than August 31, 1984.

Projects submitted can take various forms, including real existing commissioned tasks, self-initiated projects by authors, academically-based work, or proposals from other competition procedures. The organizers express preference for projects with realistic implementation potential, though groundbreaking innovative ideas are not excluded from consideration. The invitation specifically targets "projects in the pipeline" that have not yet been realized in terms of construction or mass application in building methods, products, and production processes.

Participants enjoy the freedom to define their own site, context, or target user group for their submissions. However, designs must align with the HØW Criteria and maintain capacity for scalability, availability across a broad range of economic levels, and accessibility to diverse communities and varying climate zones.

The competition offers substantial monetary prizes along with UNU recognition for winning projects. A total of 24,000 euros (net) will be awarded as three main prizes of 8,000 euros each. Additionally, 6,000 euros (net) is available for acknowledgment prizes, split between three acknowledgment awards of 2,000 euros each.

Submission requirements call for conceptual design proposals for innovative building or infrastructure projects, or key components thereof, that should either be publicly funded, serve a public benefit, or have a public function. Submissions can take the form of building concepts, urban planning strategies, building or material systems, construction technologies or processes, or products relating to the built environment serving public use. However, these examples are not exhaustive, and other relevant formats relating to the built environment are welcome.

Designs must embody the principles of resource circularity and minimal waste across all phases of the building lifecycle. The proposals should align with five specific HØW Criteria, including concepts for reuse and repurposing of buildings and places. The first criterion, Resource Circulation, requires projects to demonstrate innovative strategies for closing the loop on waste and transforming waste streams into valuable resources throughout the building's lifecycle through thoughtful material selection, reuse, and regeneration.

The Resilience criterion demands that projects showcase flexibility and long-term viability, allowing buildings to adapt to changing needs, climates, uses, and community requirements over time while enhancing durability and remaining responsive to social and environmental shifts. The Regeneration criterion expects projects to go beyond minimizing harm and instead actively contribute to regenerative processes that restore ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and create surplus value for future generations.

The Revolution criterion requires projects to demonstrate bold innovation and creative thinking with strong potential for replication and global impact. Submissions should share ideas openly to encourage other projects to adopt new approaches, systems, or techniques that push the boundaries of circular and sustainable design. Finally, the Reimagine criterion focuses on projects that influence not just how buildings function, but how people live and interact within them, making sustainable living intuitive and inclusive while removing barriers to participation and fostering broader cultural shifts.

The submission deadline for the House of No Waste Ideas Competition is December 1, 2025, at 2:00 PM. Further details and competition briefs are available for download at houseofnowaste.org. This competition represents a significant opportunity for young professionals to contribute innovative solutions to one of the most pressing challenges in contemporary architecture and urban planning.