The Sections below provide the Official Rules for this Challenge. By entering the Challenge, participants agree to be bound by these Rules. All decisions of the ITU are final and without appeal.
- No purchase or payment of any kind is required to enter or win this Challenge. Participants are therefore responsible for any expenses made in order to submit their(s) application(s).
- The Challenge is open to individuals from ITU Member States (see www.itu.int/members/index.html). Individuals must have reached the age of majority in their country at the time of entry. Individuals may form teams and submit entries on behalf of their teams. All individuals who join teams must meet the eligibility requirements. ITU staff, staff of the Challenge’s sponsor(s) and members of the Jury are not eligible to participate in this Challenge.
- All submission should fall under the following areas below:
- Energy management
- Water management and sanitation
- Waste management
- Transport and mobility
- Urban palnning, including smart buildings
- Adaptation to climate change
- Smart societies, community engagement and environmental education
- The submission period begins on 20 December 2012 at 12:00 PM Central European Time (“CET”) and ends on 15 July 2013 at 12:00 PM Central European Summer Time ("CEST"). Only complete submissions entered during this period will be accepted. Once a submission is submitted, the participant cannot make any changes or alterations to the submission unless they receive permission from ITU.
- Participants must register via the online Submission Form before submitting their application.
- Following registration, participants must submit their application(s) in English in an electronic format at the following email address greenstandard@itu.int and include:
- A detailed Concept Paper (maximum of 6,000 words) describing a new and innovative ICT application that would help build Smart Sustainable Cities. The proposed application may be any kind of software tool, platform or game, be it for the web, a personal computer, tablet or a mobile device;
- Screenshots and diagrams illustrating the application’s proposed features and functions;
- An implementation plan for the development of the application;
- An explanation of how the idea would help build Smart Sustainable Cities and provide an ICT solution to environmental or sustainability issues.
- ITU will acknowledge receipt of the submissions by email.
- Participants may enter more than one submission. A separate registration is required for each submission. Submissions must be original, unpublished works that are not currently under review by another contest or journal, be solely owned by the participant and must not violate the intellectual property rights of other parties. In addition, submissions must not: violate the intellectual property rights of third parties; be illegal under applicable national and international laws; and depict or incite hatred, defame, abuse harass, stalk, threaten a specific person or social group, incite violence or conflict or otherwise violate the legal rights of third parties (including those of privacy and publicity).
- Participants will retain the intellectual property rights on the contents of their submissions. However, each participant grants ITU a limited, non-exclusive, global, one-year royalty-free right and license to use, reproduce, communicate, demonstrate, make available for public display and distribute the contents of his/her submission (including the application) for ITU’s marketing, promotional, informational and educational or awareness purposes, via printed or digital media, including ITU’s website. The participant hereby represents that he/she has the legal right to grant ITU such license.
- Submissions will be judged by a Jury determined by the ITU. Decisions of the Jury are final and without appeal. The Jury verifies that the participant meets the eligibility criteria in Section 2 (above), and the application(s) meet(s) the criteria in Section 3 (above). The Jury evaluates all submissions that pass the initial screening based on the following six criteria:
- Object achievements – Does the proposed application, as developed in the idea submitted, contribute to the development of innovative new technologies to help build Smart Sustainable Cities? (1/6)
- Impact – How greatly does the proposed application benefit the environment and help shape Smart Sustainable Cities? (1/6)
- Innovation – How inspired and original is the proposed application? (1/6)
- Implementation plan – How good is the plan to implement the proposed application? Is the application feasible? (1/6)
- Business Model – Would the proposed application be a viable, marketable option for companies? Is the proposed application widely adaptable throughout industries? Usability – Is it user-friendly and does it demonstrate the potential for development? (1/6)
- Preferences will be given to proposed applications that may assist developing countries address environmental issues in urban contexts. (1/6)
- The winner of the Challenge will be announced on 4 September 2013 on the Green ICT Application Challenge page. ITU will notify the winner via email. If the winner cannot be contacted by ITU, or does not respond within two (2) business days from the time the ITU sends its notification, the ITU may decide to award the prize for the Challenge to another participant or not award the prize at all. In addition, a number of submitted applications may be selected as honorable mentions. No award will be given to honorable mentions.
- A cash prize of 5,000 USD will be awarded to the winner of the Challenge. In addition, the winner will be invited to present his/her paper in September 2013 during the 3rd ITU Green Standards Week to be held in Madrid, Spain. The ITU will provide one (1) roundtrip ticket to Madrid in economy class and accommodation for two (2) nights in a hotel chosen by the ITU. The aforementioned dates cannot be changed. The winner is responsible for any other expenses that are not specified above including, but not limited to, travel insurance and all administrative formalities that might be required for his/her travel to Madrid. If the winner declines the invitation or ultimately does not attend the Award Ceremony, there will be no compensation or substitution of the prize of any kind. The winner is responsible for all applicable taxes and fees associated with receipt and/or use of the prize. No transfer or substitution of the prize is permitted.
- Participation in the Challenge constitutes the winner’s consent to ITU’s use of their name and photograph for promotional purposes in any media worldwide, without payment or consideration.
- The winner will be granted a limited one-year, worldwide right and license to use the Challenge logo on their own promotional materials for the awarded application. This right is limited to the use of such logo, in accordance with specific guidelines to be provided by ITU. The present provision does not constitute a license in itself.
- By entering the Challenge, participants agree to release and hold harmless the ITU from and against any and all claims, expenses and liability including, but not limited to, negligence and damages of any kind to persons and property, infringement of trademark, copyright or other intellectual property rights arising out of, or relating to, participation in the Challenge.
- Nothing herein shall constitute or be considered to be a limitation or a waiver of the privileges and immunities of the ITU, which are specifically reserved.
