Please find below the
Finalist Evaluation
Judges'' ratings
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Judges'' comments
This is a very interesting, imaginative proposal with a strong potential impact on the environment and the society. Documentation provided by the author shows that research on the material is close to ten years old, yet there is no evidence of application of this product to the construction or furniture sector. Key to the uptake of this product to the construction market is testing of prototypes, which raises questions about possible performance, social or economic barriers to its widespread adoption. Unfortunately, the author failed to respond specific questions on this matter, which inevitably undermines the strength of this proposal. The presentation has not been refined and extended, and remains repetitive.
Semi-Finalist Evaluation
Judges'' ratings
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Judges'' comments
It is a very interesting project, with the development of production of eco-material that has benefits also in terms of employment. The strength of this project leis in the combination of a new, renewable building material, use of waste products of the food industry and the creation of job opportunities in underdeveloped economies like that of Ghana.
Nevertheless, the description of the proposal should be presented in a more complete and clearer way: it appears as a promotion of an existing technology, rather than a proposal for the development of new initiatives, policies and technologies that can reduce GHG emissions. It would be interesting if the authors could focus more the attention to the innovative aspects of the project, also bringing some examples of production and application. It does not answer some fundamental questions about the material such as its physical properties, which are key to understand its applicability in construction, and costs and complexity of the production process. No preliminary research has been referenced nor have examples of application been provided. Furthermore, claims of superior quality of the product compared to other engineered wood products is not supported and seems to ignore benefits of sustainable grown forestry.
While this is a potentially very interesting project, it requires further development.