The CHI’26 sustainability committee received many strong submissions for the Special Recognition for Sustainable Practice, and we are excited to announce the winners. As with previous years, we recognized projects based on two tracks: (i) Research with Potential for Sustainable Impact and (ii) Research Teams with Inspirational Research Practices. For each category, a winner and a runner-up were selected. Without further ado:
For Research with Potential for Sustainable Impact:
- [Winner] Framing Water: Exploring Tensions between Social Norms and Environmental Sustainability through a Data Physicalization Game. Eleonora Mencarini (Fondazione Bruno Kessler), Ann L Kruger (University of Trento), Chiara Leonardi (Fondazione Bruno Kessler), and Paolo Massa (Fondazione Bruno Kessler). This work was recognized for integrating sustainability as both a research goal and design principle. It encourages reflection on water consumption in resource-constrained settings while demonstrating responsible practices—such as low-energy, off-grid-compatible technology, careful material choices, use of upcycled resources, and reduced travel impact. Overall, it shows how HCI can align environmental awareness with practical, real-world constraints.
- [Runner-up] 3DPrinting Soap: Exploring New Biodegradable Materials and Creative Possibilities. Jing Xie (Georgia Institute of Technology), Yingting Gao (Georgia Institute of Technology), Jin Yu (Georgia Institute of Technology), Tingyu Cheng (University of Notre Dame), and HyunJoo Oh (Georgia Institute of Technology). This work was recognized for rethinking materials in digital fabrication through a sustainability lens. By introducing soap as a biodegradable, reusable alternative to plastic filaments, it reduces long-term waste and supports circular-making practices. Combined with an energy-efficient workflow and lifecycle-aware design, the project presents a compelling model for more sustainable fabrication in HCI.
For Research Teams with Inspirational Research Practices:
- [Winner] CaseCompass: Designing Sustainable, Community-Led Socio-Technical Systems for Gender-Based Violence Support Work. Nimra Ahmed (University of Zürich), Sargam Telang (University of Zurich), Larissa Senning (University of Zürich), Thu An Phan ( University of Zurich), Tim Portmann (University of Zürich), Sandra Rosch (University of Zurich), Angelika Strohmayer (Northumbria University), and Elaine M. Huang (University of Zurich). This work was recognized for its focus on organizational sustainability through responsible, human-centered design. The system was built to align with the NGO’s workflows, minimize complexity, and support long-term use without ongoing researcher involvement. By prioritizing simplicity, documentation, and independence from proprietary tools, the project demonstrates how sustainable HCI practices can support autonomy and lasting impact in real-world contexts.
- [Runner-up] TurnStyle: A Framework for Analyzing Human Conversational Behaviors to Predict Success in LLM-Assisted Tasks. Urvi Awasthi (Boston Consulting Group), Lisa Krayer (Boston Consulting Group), and Daniel Sack (Boston Consulting Group). This work was recognized for its efficient and reuse-oriented approach to sustainable research practices. By leveraging existing datasets, minimizing redundant processing, and using a hybrid LLM–human annotation pipeline, the team reduced both computational and labor demands. The framework was also designed for longevity, avoiding dependence on specific models and enabling continued use without frequent rework. Together, these choices highlight how careful design can support sustainable, scalable, and reusable research workflows.
Congratulations to our winners and runner-up, and thank you to everyone who shared their work with us. If you wish to learn more about these projects, please look them up at CHI’26; the projects receiving these recognitions will also be indicated in the program.