Empowering youths to play a part in environmental sustainability, the Green Bootcamp @ North West held in July 2022, challenges youths to develop innovative green solutions that can influence the community to adopt sustainable practices.
Many shortlisted teams have been paired up with various organisations to work on bringing their ideas to life. Team Igloo's winning proposal to tackle inefficient energy usage has received funding from the North West GIRAFFE Fund, allowing them to continue working and developing their product. Eliminating the need for air-conditioning while we sleep, the "Igloo", a prototype they have developed, aims to cool the surface through a mattress pad – allowing users to sleep on a cool surface.
We had a chat with Matthew Chew, leader of Team Igloo, to find out the team’s progress from ideation to prototype development.
How did the Green Bootcamp help with product ideation?
The brief but impactful two weeks during the Green Bootcamp gave us an excellent jumping point to crystallise our idea, paving the way for us to develop our prototype and strategy. Subsequently, we were able to experiment with various cooling mechanisms before settling on one which was both cost effective and energy efficient.
What progress have you made in developing the prototype?
The initial prototype was a theoretical execution. During our pitch at the Green Bootcamp, we used a pillow to simulate a mattress. We have since sourced for the relevant materials to build a full-scale working prototype - a full-sized single mattress protector connected to a circulating water source and cooler. We’re still optimising the design but I’m proud of the progress the team has made so far.
Write your own green chapter
Do you have an idea to encourage green living within the community? Like Team Igloo, you too can be a green changemaker and lead efforts to tackle environmental issues. Find out how the North West GIRAFFE Fund can help you kickstart your own eco-initiative and bring your green ideas to life.
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