Nour Ben Gaied and Ali Ahmed excel in the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge.

By Mr John Stevenson (Senior Communications Officer), Published

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682549Nour Ben Gaied (MSc Data Science) and Ali Ahmed (MSc Temporary Works and Construction Method Engineering) respectively, were top prize Gold winners with team mates from the Independent University of Bangladesh (IUB) in the Grand Final of the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge.

Efficiency for Access and Engineers Without Borders UK are delighted to collaborate on the delivery of the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge. The Challenge is funded by UK aid and the IKEA Foundation.

The winning team, including Sadik Abdal and Tashfiah Tahsin from IUB, collaborated on the project titled, Solar Direct Drive Cold Storage System for Off-Grid Preservation of Fish and Perishable Goods.

Among the project’s goals were the following:

  • Reducing food insecurity in Bangladesh by improving the food supply chain through a more sustainable preservation of fish and perishables;
  • Designing a transportable and affordable multi-use solar powered container that has three separate chambers. A refrigeration changer (2°C – 8°C), and two heavily insulated freezer chambers (up to 20°C);
  • Designing a container insulated with Styrofoam padding and aluminium foil to reduce heat loss from external factors;
  • Designing a container equipped with an LCD display to monitor vital information such as the temperatures of the chambers and weights;
  • Designing a system integrating Internet of Things features providing real-time feedback with information regarding products, performance, uses, feedback and more;
  • Designing a container to support wheels to facilitate the transportation of goods in the region from one farm to the next until it reaches final destination taking into consideration these coastal areas often experience natural disasters such as tornadoes;
  • Cutting energy costs and overhead costs related to replacing heavy machinery and batteries.

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682548Now in its third year, the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge invites teams of university students from around the world to design sustainable, and high-performing appliances intended for communities with no or unreliable access to electrical grids.

By bringing together and inspiring students, the competition aims to foster innovation in the solar appliance sector and to address barriers that limit market expansion in this area.

Year 3 of the Challenge began in September 2021 with over 150 students from 22 universities in Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sweden, Uganda, the UK, the USA, and Zimbabwe taking part.

Students submitted their projects in April 2022 and presented their projects online to a panel of expert judges in late May.

Professor Rajkumar Roy, Executive Dean of City's School of Science and Technology said:

"This is a major victory for our amazing STEM students at City in collaboration with their team-mates at Bangladesh Independent University in the Grand Final of The Efficiency for Access Design Challenge. It also acts as a wonderful confirmation of what can be achieved through strategic and meaningful partnerships across national boundaries in attempting to find solutions to global crises. We are delighted that our partnership with Engineers Without Borders UK and the Efficiency for Design Challenge has borne fruit with such an innovative competition in the STEM world."

To watch a video about the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge, please visit this weblink.

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