Driving a Sustainable Future with Malaysia's Young Talents

Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, recently wrapped up its annual global student competition - Schneider Go Green where students across private and public universities in Malaysia put their creative thinking skills to the test. Participants of the event were called to present their bold and disruptive ideas on circularity and energy efficiency for buildings’ sustainability. Four undergraduates from Brickfields Asia College and the University of Nottingham Malaysia emerged as the winners of this year’s competition and represented Malaysia in the regional finals.

Embedded into Schneider Electric's broader mission towards sustainability, the annual Schneider Go Green competition empowers university students worldwide to showcase their innovative solutions, aiming to create a cleaner, more inclusive, and sustainable planet. 

Reflecting on this year’s competition, Eugene Quah, Country General Manager for Malaysia of Schneider Electric, shared: “We have always believed that sustainability isn't just a component of Schneider Electric's business; it's our core mission. We understand that the future is in the hands of the young generation, and we need to continuously equip and empower Malaysia’s rising talents for a sustainable future.”

“What makes this year's competition interesting was that we witnessed participants from a wider variety of educational fields. Beyond the usual engineering and IT students, we saw a spike in students ranging from business, finance, law and psychology. We believe that solving the complex challenges of sustainability requires diverse perspectives, and we saw many fresh ideas and perspectives brought by this year's broader participant pool." Eugene added. 

Schneider Go Green 2023

With this year's theme focusing on "Circularity and Energy Efficiency for Buildings," the competition addresses one of the most critical issues in the climate crisis. The goal is straightforward yet daunting: to limit global warming to a 1.5-degree Celsius increase, net-zero carbon emissions must be achieved by 2050, and a reduction of 30-50% is needed by 2030. 

Globally and in Malaysia, buildings play a significant role in this equation, contributing to about 30% of global CO2 emissions. Adding urgency to this issue is the fact that approximately 80% of the buildings that will stand in 2050 already exist today. Thus, the challenge is not only to construct new, sustainable buildings but also to retrofit and reimagine the existing built environment. 

In essence, the Schneider Go Green competition has evolved into a vital platform for developing next-generation solutions that could shape the future. Students participating are tasked with contemplating challenges both big and small, from retrofitting existing structures with circular materials to utilising smart technologies for real-time energy optimisation. It serves as a breeding ground for ideas that could potentially rewrite the rules of sustainability.

Malaysia’s Brightest Innovators

The local competition gathered the nation’s most innovative young minds, featuring teams from six universities, including University of Malaya, Monash University Malaysia, Taylor's University, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, University of Nottingham Malaysia, and Brickfields Asia College. 

Among this pool of rising talent, Team Alchemists, comprising students from Brickfields Asia College and the University of Nottingham Malaysia, emerged victorious. The win propelled them to the next level of competition - the regional finals, where they faced off against country winners from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and South Korea.

Team Alchemists received intensive mentorship from industry experts at Schneider Electric, including segment leaders, product application engineers, and sales managers. These industry professionals have been carefully selected to guide these students in key phases of the innovation process, such as opportunity assessment, conceptualisation, and market release. 

The goal is to equip the team with the insights and tools they need to put their bold ideas into practice and in turn, make an impact on the nation’s sustainable transformation.

For more information on Schneider Go Green 2023, visit https://gogreen.se.com/en.