NEWS: MADE Expo to spotlight green innovation with launch of Sustainable Prize

The 2025 edition of MADE Expo, taking place from 19 to 22 November at Fiera Milano, is set to deepen its focus on sustainability and innovation in the built environment with the launch of the MADE Sustainable Prize. Created in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano, the award will celebrate companies driving change across the architecture and construction sectors.

Modelled on the ethos of the European Commission’s New European Bauhaus initiative, the prize will spotlight solutions that marry ecological responsibility with aesthetic and functional design. Entries will be assessed across three categories—Sustainability, Beauty and Inclusivity—with a special jury award recognising standout contributions to sustainable transformation.

“The MADE Sustainable Prize is more than a recognition—it’s a call to action,” said Paola Sarco, Head of Building&Industrial Exhibitions at Fiera Milano. “In today’s competitive landscape, visibility matters. This award offers companies a powerful platform to differentiate themselves while fostering meaningful change.”

Applications close on 12 September 2025, with a jury—led by experts from the Politecnico di Milano—tasked with selecting three finalists per category. Winners will be announced during the show on 21 November. In a unique initiative to promote dialogue between research and industry, semifinalists’ stands will feature in guided tours curated by sustainability specialists.

Niccolò Aste of the university’s Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (DABC) described the award as “a cultural and scientific initiative that raises the bar for sustainable innovation in the sector.”

MADE Expo, one of southern Europe’s most influential trade fairs for the construction industry, is positioning the new prize as a benchmark for excellence. The initiative not only aims to elevate green building practices, but to inspire a broader shift towards environmentally and socially responsible design.

By foregrounding sustainability and design excellence, the MADE Sustainable Prize is poised to set a new standard for innovation in Europe’s construction industry.