The 2021 "Hack the Building Code" Innovation Challenge has officially kicked off, and submissions are now being accepted from the public on ways to improve the ways we design, construct and maintain our city of over 1.1 million buildings.

The challenge is an open call to startups, industry professionals, and the public, looking for the best ideas on how we can make our city's buildings and construction sites safer, more efficient, more resilient, and more sustainable.

The application deadline for submissions is November 3rd, 2021.

Last year's winners from our 2020 "Hack The Building Code" Challenge and our Carbon Neutrality Innovation Challenge included a wide range of ideas to improve our city's built environment which were showcased at our digital industry conferences. DOB also issued Buildings Bulletins in support of these innovators, official guidance documents which provide technical approvals for the use of products, processes and technologies that are not specifically enumerated in our Codes.