Anglophone Africa dominates regional finals

Schneider Electric is proud to announce that no less than six out of the nine university groups competing in this year’s regional Middle East and Africa finals of its Go Green competition were from the Anglophone Africa region.

The six finalist groups from the respective Anglophone Africa countries were:

1. Ina Vibe (Nigeria), which entered a solar-powered, insulated electric burner with a battery pack for cooking, charging, and lighting.
2. MetaMind (Kenya) whose project explores the role of machine learning (ML) in smart energy control systems.
3. The Green Mavericks (Kenya). The group’s AquaSpark-thermal storage battery system not only provides electricity but also heats water for space heating.
4. Carboclock (Kenya), which designed the aptly named smart clock, Carbon Clock. This displays real-time energy consumption of household devices, increasing user awareness of carbon footprint and energy usage, and encouraging them to make more sustainable choices.
5. Power Pals (South Africa), whose innovative solution aims to tackle the excessive heat within urban heat islands; and
6. LolaGreen (South Africa), whose bold idea demonstrates how industrial and plastic waste can be converted into sustainable, durable construction products.

Ultimately, Skylarks from Pakistan bested the stiff competition from Anglophone Africa with its Adaptive Facade Systems “AdaptiFAS”, an innovative solution that optimises insulation, reduces energy waste, and adapts to occupants’ needs, making it ideal for both new constructions and retrofitting existing buildings.

“We’re extremely proud of our teams from Anglophone Africa, whose bold ideas truly impressed our panel of judges. We’d also like to extend a hearty congratulations to Skylarks; we wish them all the best for the global finals,” says Modlay Davids, talent acquisition and employer branding lead of human resources at Schneider Electric.

This year’s theme, Sustainable and Efficient Buildings, encouraged participants to dream big, transform, and unlock the efficiency of today’s buildings to make them smarter and more people centric. 

The participating university students’ bold ideas tangibly demonstrated how buildings of the future will meet the needs of their occupants while minimising base load, operating costs, and environmental impact.

As part of the Go Green entry, the regional finalists also participated in an intensive bootcamp at Schneider Electric’s offices, where sales and business presentation skills were honed and perfected. They also underwent mentoring in preparation for the regional competition.

Skylarks will be competing against finalist from across the globe to win €3,000, an international trip, an internship, and other employment opportunities at Schneider Electric.