In support of U.S. President Barack Obama's Energy and Climate Partnership for the Americas (ECPA), Ashoka's Changemakers, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of State, the American Planning Association and the Brazilian Ministry of Cities, and funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, launched a global collaborative competition - Sustainable Urban Housing: Collaborating for Liveable and Inclusive Cities.

Eleven finalists from around the globe reached the final phase of the competition in February 2011 after being vetted by a panel of expert judges. Three diverse entries emerged as winners of the competition through the global public voting stage: Developing Real Estate for Squatters and Tenants of the City of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Zero Waste, Sustainable Architecture, Renewable Energy: Unlimited Source of Renewable Materials for Sustainable Housing, Brazil; and Green Development Zone, USA.

These innovative solutions lift up ideas to provide sustainable, energy efficient housing and communities in a way that unleashes economic opportunities for the urban poor, and builds smarter, cleaner cities around the world. Please join us as we celebrate the finalists, the winners and the end to the competition and begin the next phases of this exciting initiative with a host of exciting panels, speakers and engaging discussion to find solutions to our rapidly urbanizing world.