The deadline to submit technologies for the Sustainable Technology Showcase is April 13, 2008 and it can be made online by registering the organization or entrepreneur in charge of technology development, as well as filling out a technology features form through a system available on the Showcase hotsite during the application period at no cost.
In case the same technology is submitted more than once by the same organization or entrepreneur in charge, the latest version received will be deemed valid.
Application is unlimited by institution. In case one or more similar technologies are submitted by different organizations, the Showcase Executive Committee may choose the option deemed as more relevant, taking into account feasibility and space limitations.
The Executive Committee may, at its own discretion, attach a list of other similar technologies where a certain technology is being exhibited.
Technology Features Form
Once the registration is made, a form must be filled out to describe the technology submitted, containing the following topics:
1. Identification of organization or entrepreneur in charge of development and production of the technology;
2. Technology description − what it is, what it is for, how it works, what is considered innovative, whether or not it is patented;
3. Social and physical context of the use of this technology (urban or rural environment, built environment, environmental recovery, conservation areas, etc.);
4. Situations where the technology submitted can be applied, as well as economic, social and environmental advantages of its production and application (considering the major critical variables in its sustainable production and consumption, such as energy, greenhouse gas emissions, waste, water, biodiversity maintenance, promotion of equity and diversity, preserving integrity, anti-corruption actions, and promotion of decent work);
5. Constraints of the technology presented, as well as economic, social and environmental drawbacks of its production and application;
6. Impacts on the production chain (suppliers and consumers) and on the technology life cycle 1;
7. Impacts on regulations (laws, rules and technical standards);
8. Impacts on the development of new competencies, in the work environment, and on the society’s culture;
9. Implementation, production and operation strategies that assure quality of results and control over impacts;
10. Current application and potential for large-scale application.
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1 The life cycle approach enables a systems view of the product, covering phases from collecting basic raw materials from Nature to entering the production system, to product final disposal, after its use.
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Warning
• All topics of the Technology Features Form must be filled out;
• Only the material describing the technology entered on the Showcase hotsite will be analyzed by the Trustees Committee to select the technologies to be exhibited. Images, charts and diagrams can be attached to the Technology Features Form, provided they do not exceed four files of up to 500 KB each;
• The Executive Committee may require additional information on the technology registered, at the Trustees Committee’s discretion;
• When submitting a technology, the organization or entrepreneur in charge of the registration shall take full responsibility for the accuracy of all data entered, subject to cancellation of the application.
Registration Confirmation
Once registration is completed, the system will send the user its user name and password by e-mail. Only the person or organization who has the user name and password will be able to access the application system to fill out the Technology Features Form.
Validity of the Application
Notwithstanding the other requirements hereof, the validity of the application is subject to the express and absolute acceptance of all terms of these Rules, as shown by electronic acceptance hereof before starting to submit the technology.
SELECTION OF TECHNOLOGIES
Trustees Committee
The Executive Committee established a Trustees Committee to conduct the technology selection process. This committee is composed of representatives of organizations well known for addressing topics subject-matter of the Showcase.
The Sustainable Technology Showcase’s Trustees Committee shall:
• Develop the concept of the Sustainable Technology Showcase;
• Review the approach proposed by the Showcase’s Executive Committee;
• Appoint other representatives of organizations well known for addressing topics subject-matter of the Showcase to join the Trustees Committee;
• Set evaluation criteria and other items of the Rules;
• Select technologies related to the topics of the Showcase to be exhibited;
The Trustees Committee is composed of specialists linked with the following organizations:
• Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development (ABDI)
• Ashoka
• Avina
• Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)
• University of São Paulo International Reference Center on Water Reuse (Cirra-USP)
• Brazilian Council for Sustainable Construction (CBCS)
• Brazilian Affiliate of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS)
• Embrapa Gado de Leite (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation – Dairy Cattle)
• University of São Paulo Polytechnic School (Poli-USP)
• Research and Projects Financing (Finep)
• Amazon Forum
• Akatu Institute for Conscious Consumption
• Permaculture Institute of the Amazon (IPA)
• Ethos Institute – Business and Social Responsibility
• ONG Água e Cidade (Water and City NGO)
• Social Technology Network (RTS)
• Renove
Selection Process
Selection of the technologies submitted pursuant to these Rules shall be made by the Trustees Committee in two phases:
Phase 1: Two members of the Trustees Committee will review each technology, pursuant to the evaluation criteria described below, and will select the finalists.
Phase 2: The technologies selected in Phase 1 will be submitted to all members of the Trustees Committee for final consensual analysis based on the evaluation criteria described below. The decisions of this committee shall be definitive and unappealable.
Evaluation Criteria
The selection of technologies for the Showcase will be made based on their technical performance, social and economic relevance, and in the balance of their impact on sustainable development – considering the topics of the above-mentioned Technology Features Form and the following premises:
• The technologies must address one or more critical variables mentioned in a single or integrated manner in Approach and Participants;
• They must be replicable;
• They must show evidence of proven improvements;
• They must bring large-scale contributions to sustainability.
Warning
There is no established limit for the number of technologies to be selected. During the selection period, compliance with the approach proposed and space limitations for exhibition will be taken into account.
MISCELLANEOUS
Matters not provided herein shall be discussed and agreed on by the Sustainable Technology Showcase’s Executive Committee.
Credits and Authorized Use
The credits related to the technology copyright shall be acknowledged by the Executive Committee in the Showcase advertising material, including during the exhibition. By submitting their projects, the applicants for the Sustainable Technology Showcase authorize the organizers to use, free of charge, their name and image, as well as all the information related to the technology submitted or to the process of exhibiting the methodology, technique, system, equipment or process submitted, for publicity in any media, whether national or international, in any language and in printed or electronic format, provided it is done with the single purpose of publicizing it to the target public, being forbidden any profit resulting from this publicity.
Declaration of Authorship and Responsibility
The person or organization submitting a technology shall declare their authorship of the technology or declare they have been duly authorized by its author(s) to make the application.
Showcase Assembly
Those responsible for the selected technologies shall be contacted by the organizers to define the layout of their exhibition, which shall be made in accordance with the Showcase layout project and organization/operation rules, which shall be previously informed.
The costs incurred in the exhibition of selected technologies, including transport, insurance, production of materials and equipment, assembly and production of information displays shall be borne by the organizations or entrepreneurs who submitted the technologies.
The brand visibility of the organizations responsible for the selected technologies shall comply with the Showcase’s organization/operation rules, which shall be informed to the authors of the selected technologies.
Note: In case you need help for translating the application system, please contact Margarida Curti at mostra@ethos.org.br. She’ll be giving support to international applications.
