ENER-G Challenge 2010

Teams from eleven schools from across Greater Manchester became mini-manufacturing businesses for the day. Their challenge was to design, manufacture and install eco-friendly power generation and efficiency solutions for a choice of customers that varied from supermarkets and hospitals to gyms and factories. They then pitched their ideas to a panel of senior manager ‘dragons' from clean tech business ENER-G, based in Salford, Greater Manchester.

The event was part of The Manufacturing Institute's Make It in Manufacturing campaign to attract talented young people into industry, an initiative that is being expanded this year thanks to support from the Northwest Regional Development Agency and European Regional Development Fund.

The Year 9 students were challenged to build imaginative 3D floor plans of an eco-friendly power system for their chosen building. After selecting their job roles - including managing director, operations, finance, logistics, sales and marketing managers - they costed-out their ideas, developed energy performance indicator systems, and created sales and marketing plans. They then appeared before the ENER-G team of ‘dragons' to present their ideas.

 'Green Logic' with their design idea

The winning team from Sale Grammar School formed the ‘Green Logic' business - providing energy solutions for schools. Their mission to build ‘a better future for the next generation' was achieved by using a combination of technologies including solar panels, motion sensors for lights, ground source heat pumps and recycled rain water.

Evaluating their options

The team invented an imaginative energy performance indicator system - using a traffic light system in every classroom to warn pupils when too much energy was being consumed and remind them to switch power off when not in use.

Sale Grammar School's 'Green Logic' winning team  

The dragons praised team members for their ideas and felt that they engaged with one of the biggest challenges in energy efficiency which is getting people to change their behaviours and be more aware of energy wastage.

Chris Marsland, Technical Director of ENER-G said: "The Make It event was a great success and the school students' grasp of eco-friendly power and environmental considerations demonstrated that these young adults are certainly aware of the necessity of being responsible towards the environment. To see them working together in their teams and producing such credible proposals I am sure would make the real Dragons' Den panel blush with pride.

"ENER-G is proud to support and encourage this interest in both manufacturing and the environment, as these youngsters are the business leaders of tomorrow and hi tech businesses such as ours require talented people with both technical and enterprising skills. If young people don't receive the encouragement and guidance now, the future of not only the economy but also the environment will suffer".

This was the first of a series of North West heats, with the top team from each heat invited to compete in a grand regional final in 2011.