The National Fund for Housing Institute in Mexico (INFONAVIT) through its Digital Network for Housing Information, along with State of Mexico´s Autonomic University (UAEMex) and Redalyc's Territorial Studies Community, call for submissions for the first edition of the Iberoamerican Award for Research Thesis on Housing. The aim is to give national and international acknowledgement to the main PHD research works related to sustainable housing in Iberoamerica. We also look forward to making contributions in the process of generating and disseminating state of the art theories, methods, and analysis strategies related to the topic of sustainable housing that would be of particular interest to Iberoamerican cities. Criteria of the call Thesis developed by PHD programs in Universities and / or Ministries, Councils or Higher Education Institutions throughout all countries can participate as long as the general criteria of this call for papers is respected. This call for submissions is especially relevant as it is the first instance of this prize, which hopes though its continuity, to become a point of convergance for researchers and students in the analysis of sustainable housing in Iberoamerica.

1. Topics

1. Sustainable housing development

• New technologies in sustainable housing construction
  Energy Efficiency
  Water resources
  Solid waste management
  Natural resource management
  Integrated solutions for recycling and sustainability
  

2. Financial plans for sustainable housing

• Housing financing
  Subsidies application
  Housing finance policy analysis
  

3. Sustainable housing production

• Architectural Design
  Social ? environmental integration
  Neighborhood organization processes
  Profit sharing
  

4. Access to sustainable housing

• Equitable access in housing resources and property
  Physical, economic and social access for vulnerable groups
  Community management
  Conflict mediation between social actors involved in the production of sustainable housing (civil organizations, real-estate producers, government branches).
  

5. Regulation and planning in sustainable housing

• Land use and urban structures planning
  Open urban spaces conservation
  Soil management
  Community centered planning
  

6. Information systems development in housing

• Housing information repository
  Databases of regional country standards
  

2. Registration

Registration and submission of papers will be done exclusively through the homepage of Comunidad de Estudios Territoriales www.estudiosterritoriales.org Hardcopies will not be accepted.
Only research papers concluded from June 1, 2007 to June 30 2009 will be accepted.
Languages accepted for submissions will be Spanish, Portuguese, and English.
Previously published papers (in whole or parts) will not be accepted
Submmited texts should not be entered simultaneously in any other open call.
Submmisions should be converted to PDF format. The registration page will include a tool for PDF conversion. Hard copies will not be accepted.
CC (Creative commons) licence is adviced to be previously obtained at: http://creativecommons.org/internacional

Documentation (PDF only)

Besides the online process:
Nominee´s Curriculum Vitae (PDF Format, maximum 3 one-sided pages)
Statement of originality (PDF form found in registartion page).
Acceptance statement for the online publication of the awarded paper to the Digital Network for Housing Information.
Letter of nomination, with the name of the thesis advisor or reviewer, as well as three main reasons for why this work should be considered for the prize.
Complete thesis paper in PDF format
Grade examination certificate
Letter with abstract briefly explaining contributions of the work and reasons for why the submission should be considered for the prize.

3. Awards

• First place: 5,000 USD, commemorative trophy, paper published in the series: Investigacion sobre vivienda en iberoamerica. Travel expenses to the awards ceremony.
  Second place: 3,000 USD, commmorative trophy, paper published in the series: Investigacion sobre vivienda en iberoamerica. Travel expenses to the awards ceremony.
  Third place: 2,000 USD, commemorative trophy, paper published in the series: Investigacion sobre vivienda en iberoamerica. Travel expenses to the awards ceremony.
  
  

4. Evaluation Criteria

The selection of papers will consider originality, rigour, and importance to the scientific knowledge of housing studies.
Special mention will be given only to those Works considered by the jury.
Jury may consider 'void' any of the places for prizes.
Verdict will be final.
Prizes are not to be shared

5. Qualifying Jury

Jury will be comprised of well known scholars in the field of housing all over Iberoamerica. The members of the jury will be announced on the Territorial Studies Community page.
Head committee:
Dra. Rosario Rogel Salazar, Territorial Studies Communitys representative
Dr. Francisco Sabatini, Qualifying Jury's representative
Lic. Nora Nuñez Carranza, Red Digital de Informacion sobre Viviendas representative

6. IMPORTANT DATES

Online Submissions will begin on July 24nd
Submissions deadline is on September 25th
Results will be announced the first week of December through the web site www.estudiosterritoriales.org
Award ceremony will be take place during the INFONAVIT General assembly on December 2009, in Mexico City All issues not considered by this call for papers shall be analyzed and solved by the Head committee.
For further information e mail:
premio.tesis.vivienda@gmail.com
www.estudiosterritoriales.org
Lic. Rodrigo Zárate de Paul