The Civil Engineering Institute Macedonia was one of the supporting partners of the "Youth Ideas for Sustainable Buildings" hackathon, held on 27 February and organised by the Institute for Research in Environment, Civil Engineering and Energy (IECE) and the Faculty of Civil Engineering – Skopje.

The event brought together 17 teams of high school students, who worked on two scenarios: "Circular Campus-The Sustainable School of the Future," focused on educational spaces with zero waste and maximum energy independence, and "Circular Transformation of an Abandoned Public Building," dedicated to breathing new life into forgotten structures through the principles of sustainability.

Beyond its role as a supporting partner, representatives of CEIM served on both juries evaluating the teams' solutions for the two scenarios. For us, this was an opportunity to share our practical experience with a generation still choosing its profession and to hear how young people themselves think about materials, energy efficiency, and sustainable construction.

Investing in young professionals is part of CEIM's long-term commitment. Events of this kind allow secondary school students to gain practical knowledge, work in teams on real environmental challenges, and connect directly with faculties and companies from the sector – which is essential for a well-prepared and skilled workforce in construction in the years ahead.