27th October 2023, Razak Innovation 2023 (RAINO’23) program was held in Kolej Tun Razak, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). This program highlights the concept of innovation as the medium of finding ways to produce new and better products and services that can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 which emphasizes on Sustainable Cities and Communities. This program encourages innovation in the development of new technologies and finding solutions to make cities more sustainable and livable.
RAINO’23 program was attended by 30 participants who came from different backgrounds of study such as science, built environment, mechanical engineering, civil engineering as well as social sciences and humanities. Each participating team consists of 3 people which carries out the activity in a group. Three judges were appointed to evaluate their final models and presentation. Two of the judges were appointed from the Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying (FABU) who examined the construction of the team’s mini city with a safe and sustainable concept, while another judge was appointed from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSH) who was assigned to evaluate student communication and group cooperation in presenting ideas.
Activity 1: Build a Mini Green City
The participating teams are required to build a miniature residential or industrial area which incorporates innovative technology, this directly contributes to the idea of achieving the 11th SDG. The innovative technology created is related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste reduction and pollution control. The aim of this activity is to enable participants to practice the concept of green building technology within a small scale.
Some of the innovative technologies used by participants in their miniature town models may include the use of solar panels, wind turbines, green roofs, vertical farms, rainwater harvesting systems, composting systems, recycling systems, electric transportation, and public transportation systems.
The construction of this miniature is judged based on the creativity of the participants and the ideas produced are very innovative and commendable.
Activity 2 : Pitch The Idea
The teams then presented their small town models to the judges and explained how their design would help to achieve the goal of having sustainable cities and communities. Appointed judges evaluate the participants’ presentations based on certain criteria such as content, delivery, visual aids, collaboration, and their responses towards given questions. The judges also emphasized the novelty, originality and how innovative the participants’ ideas are, whether the participants’ ideas are realistic and achievable, how much potential the participants’ ideas have for a positive impact on cities and sustainable communities, and group contributions.
Impact
The RAINO’23 was a huge success, with the participants showcasing a wide range of innovative ideas that have the potential to make a real difference in the world. The program is a great example of how innovation can be used to address the challenges of sustainable development. This program may help to create a better future for cities and communities around the world. RAINO’23 also achieved its objectives of enhancing leadership characteristics, promoting environmental sustainability, increasing science knowledge, and encouraging innovation from students from various academic backgrounds.
The RAINO’23 is a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of the UTM student body. The program is helping to prepare the next generation of leaders and innovators to address the challenges of sustainable development.
3rd place
2nd place
1st place