GREENCHALLENGE
LUNCH:
TIME: FROM 12.35 TO 13.35
PLACE: 1ST FLOOR - DTU LIBRARY MENU: SANDWICH
BBQ:
TIME: FROM 17.30
PLACE: GRØNNEGÅRDEN MENU: BURGER
CHICKEN BREAST FILET
GRILLED SAUSAGE MIXED SALAD
VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVES WILL BE AVAILABLE
BEER OR SOFT DRINKS
Welcome
Dear participant,
Sustainability is one of the key drivers for innovation and together they constitute a potent platform for turning ideas into business solutions, which can change the global market towards a sustainable future. Companies need to develop sustainable operations.
Engineers are becoming increasingly important in contributing to designing sustainable products and services. They play an active role in bridging the gap between innovative ideas and sustainable development strategies.
The focus needs to be on sustainable solutions rather than only on the problems. Green Challenge is a student conference, which embraces that agenda and the specific mindset it requires.
At DTU we take our commitments very seriously which is why the university incorporates sustainability, environmental issues, and climate technology as fundamental aspects in all of our engineering programmes and our research.
Universities engaging in research on sustainable solutions often collaborate with other universities from around the world. This is why DTU invites students from international universities to take part in Green Challenge. Innovative students DTU students work alongside their colleagues from some of the esteemed partner universities of DTU.
DTU has an international and innovative campus that is open to the world.
Marianne Thellersen Senior Vice President - Innovation and Entrepreneurship Member of Green Challenge executive committee
Dear participant,
Welcome to DTU and to the Green Challenge (GRØN DYST) Student Conference 2018.
Climate change, deteriorating ecosystems, decreasing biodiversity, poverty, and a continuously growing population are among the global challenges that may have catastrophic implications for humanity. To reverse this development the world needs new and innovative technical solutions, and creative engineers who will play a pivotal role in the transition towards a sustainable society.
At DTU we are committed to incorporate sustainability, environmental issues, and climate technology as fundamental aspects in all of our engineering programmes and our research.
The Green Challenge Student Conference is an annual and unique opportunity for participating students to present their projects to their peers and professors as well as invited guest and DTU alumni.
Green Challenge has incorporated the UN Sustainable Development Goals when categorizing the projects. The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
We are delighted that Former Minister for the Environment in Denmark and now member of the Danish Parliament Kirsten Brosbøl has agreed to open the Green Challenge student conference 2018.
Welcome to a day of discovery and eye-opening sustainable solutions.
Martin E. Vigild Senoir Vice President Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs, Chairman of Green Challenge executive committee
Find your way around
ground Floor, DTU Library
second floor, DTU Library
Registration 10.00: Welcome by Kirsten Brosbøl, member of Danish Parliament and pres ident of the Danish Parliament’s SDG network
15.20: Deliberation of the projects
15.45: Entertainment by stand-up comedian Lasse Rimmer 17.30: BBQ and concert in Grønnegården with Danish jazzband Mads Kjølby Trio with singer Sidsel Storm 10.45: Judging the projects
13.35: Judging the projects
16.15: Flemming Besenbacher, president of the Carlsberg
12.35: Lunch
By Mette M. Christensen
PETER &
Peter won first prize at Green Challenge 2017 with his Green Treatment of Black Water project. The prize was one of the drivers for his success. Read about Peter’s journey toward realising his sustainable product below.
KRÜGER
Origins
We turn the clock back 365 days, to Green Challenge 2017. Peter Alexander Stentoft is standing on the podium. He has a cheque in his hand and a huge smile on his face. He has just won first prize for his Green Treatment of Black Water project. But Peter’s path to success did not start on the podium. It goes further back—to when he first had the idea.
“It all started with a job as a student assistant at Krüger, almost two years ago. I worked with a variety of things, but one of them was software development. It was here that I got the idea for the software program that would go on to win Green Challenge.”
The Idea
The software program is intended for sewage treatment systems around the world that operate continuously and use a lot of unnecessary electricity. Based on statistics and calculations, the software can plan when the plant needs to treat the water.
You can then push the energy consumption to times when the wind is strongest.
“I had a case study in Nørre Snede where I used their data and ran some simulations. The software also ran online for 30 hours in total. I found that they could save about 25% of their electricity consumption.”
Round 2
We put the clock forward slightly again. To about six months after Peter’s victory in Green Challenge 2017. Peter is now standing on a podium just outside Paris, where once again he has a prize in his hand and a huge smile on his face. Peter has just reached the next stop on his path to success. He has won the Veolia competition with the same project.
“Veolia owns Krüger. Their competition is for anyone who has written a thesis with a focus on Veolia’s business areas — water, waste, and energy.”
Attracting attention
Peter is currently based at Krüger, with an industrial PhD and two awards under his belt. We asked him to reflect on the steps he has taken so far on his path to success.
“The competition prizes have brought the project to Krüger’s attention. This is great, because hopefully Krüger will invest in it so it is developed into a commercial product. It has helped get the project to where it is now.”
The Dream
But Peter has no time to reflect on his previous victories, as he is already taking the next step on the path. Peter will spend the next three years at Krüger, turning his dream into reality.
“I’m definitely a step closer to realizing my dream. My dream is for the product to be refined, and to be run at as many sewage plants as possible. Especially now, as a lot of green energy is being added to the energy systems. It
Education: MSc in Environmental Engineering with electives at Compute
Project: Green Treatment of Black Water
Contact: past@dtu.dk
is important that we use this. My dream is on its way to becoming reality.”
Peter’s journey has been long, but each step has taken him closer to realizing his sustainable dream. Green Challenge was the launch pad for Peter’s vision.
GREEN CHALLENGE GOT THE BALL ROLLING
By Casper Christophersen
During his time as a student at DTU, Andreas Aabo has won multiple international awards, started a small consulting firm, studied on three continents, published two papers and, received the management consulting firm McKinsey’s Pioneering Minds award. It all started with him winning third place in Green Challenge.
When Andreas Aabo was nearing the end of his master’s thesis, he began to take a look back at all the different activities he had pursued at DTU alongside his studies.
“I started thinking about how it all began,” says Andreas, “and I realized it was when I won third place in Green Challenge. That set off a chain of events where one thing led to the next. Like in a video game, each level gave me new opportunities and showed me new ideas to pursue.”
Drawn into the start-up environment
In 2013, Andreas participated in Green Challenge with a project on a new type of coding for refrigerated containers. The project won third place, and it also opened Andreas’s eyes to entrepreneurship.
“After Green Challenge 2013, I became fascinated by the entrepreneurial world, so I applied to become one of the select few students who represent DTU each year at an entrepreneurial summit in Korea. To my surprise, I was chosen, and I suspect Green Challenge was the reason why, as I had very few other relevant accomplishments at the time.”
Getting the ball rolling
During the summit in Korea, Andreas joined a group exploring a new type of self-healing asphalt. After returning to Denmark, he continued to work on the project, was offered funding and, in 2015, participated in Green Challenge again. This time, he won first place.
“The thing is, once Green Challenge had opened the door to the entrepreneurial world, there was really no going back, as I had begun to get involved in multiple start-up projects.”
One such project was based on his bachelor’s thesis, for which he created a board game for educating so called distance mangers, who has employees placed in other countries. After completing his thesis, he started a small consulting firm to further develop that game and other educational games. He was hired by the DTU Learning Lab to produce a game for educating DTU professors in value-based teaching. Also, he won an American game design award and received the Certificate of
Excellence for Outstanding Performance at DTU’s partner university in Korea. Then, last December, he received McKinsey’s Pioneering Minds award.
Doing it for fun and interest
Andreas has now graduated and is looking for his next big adventure. Reflecting back, he highly recommends getting involved in the entrepreneurial world and Green Challenge.
“Entrepreneurial competitions such as Green Challenge are a risk-free laboratory for your ideas, like playing a game in sandbox mode. You can develop your abilities and ideas without real-world consequences. Okay, so sometimes you get a verbal flogging from the jury, which can give you a third-degree psychological burn, but that’s not the norm. Usually, it is a lot of fun because you get the opportunity to become interested and invested in something you never would have thought you could grow a passion for. You have limited time as a student, but this awesome opportunity gives you freedom. It gives you time to explore the potential of your weird and crazy ideas—so use it wisely!”
ANDREAS’ ADVICE: How to win Green Challenge
Start-ups can become the superstars of the climate battle
While political solutions to the climate crisis drag on, innovation, start-ups, and entrepreneurship have taken a leading role in the green transition. DTU Skylab is one of the places where DTU students can get assistance in moving CO2 savings off the spreadsheet and into the atmosphere.
“Our world is now in the early stages of a sustainability revolution ... that has the speed of the digital revolution. Those of you who are building exciting new businesses can have much more influence than practically anybody else.”
These were Al Gore’s words at the Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon in late 2017, and his message was clear: The world needs innovative new companies that make a business out of solving climate problems.
Sustainable entrepreneurship
What Al Gore seeks has long been unfolding in the business world, and is often referred to as sustainable entrepreneurship. Sustainability and social responsibility are moving from being the glitter on the business strategy, to being the heart of it.
Start-ups, entrepreneurs, and innovation are playing a key
role in this area. While most people can see that the world will undergo dramatic changes in the future, it often requires completely new ideas, products, and business models to turn these changes into a profitable business.
Green transition requires sustainable businesses
DTU Skylab helps students at DTU to realize their projects — both green and otherwise and have really great premises.
Kristoffer Buch is a start-up coach at Skylab. He agrees that the climate needs green companies.
“If you want a green transition, entrepreneurship is one of the key elements. We need the ideas and technologies from agile startups that can scale to companies that can mature, launch, distribute, and service these products and services on a market,”
he says, as he stands surrounded by equations on whiteboards in one of Skylab’s conference rooms.
He urges all Green Challenge participants who are budding entrepreneurs to try it out.
“Have you identified a problem that needs to be solved? Have you taken a step on the path towards a good solution? And do you want to create something yourself? Then come to us and we’ll help you!”
Nordic Algea aims to make seaweed into a green business
Skylab offers everything from business development coaching and advice on accounting and patent law, to help, materials and facilities to build prototypes. One of start-ups that has taken
advantage of these services is Nordic Algae. The idea behind the company is to create a new growing and harvesting method for seaweed that is more effective and gives greater yield.
The company was started by three students who received first prize for their idea in the 2016 Green Challenge. They are currently working full-time through an entrepreneurial internship to turn the idea into reality. Oskar Schmeltzer, one of the three founders, notes that sustainable entrepreneurship offers a perfect combination:
“I’ve always wanted to start my own company. But it has also been a big dream to create something that’s good for the planet. If we can scale up seaweed production so we can create more food products, help the seas, reduce CO2, and make a business out of it, that would be fantastic.”
Sustainable Development Goals
Engineers play an essential role in ensuring sustainable development. Engineers can and must continue contributing towards developing technological solutions and address global challenges.
United Nation has on September 25th 2015 adopted 17 goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part
of a new global and sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are now incorporated in the framework of Green Challenge, because Green Challenge needs to address global Challenges. Read about each of the 17 SDGs on United Nations website: www.un.org
Universities that have participated in Green Ghallenge
Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg
Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
University of British Columbia
Copenhagen Business School Norwegian University of Science and Technology University of Copenhagen
Delft
University University of East Anglia
of Leeds University of Bremen
Universitá
Kühne Logistics University
Technische Universität München
John Hopkins University
Ivey Business School
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research
Nanyang Technological University Singapore
Lund University
Aalto University
Chalmers
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Universitá di Bologna University of Nottingham Ningbo China
Politecnico di Milano
Assessment criteria
All projects for the Green Challenge student conference are assessed according to the same criteria. The following criteria will be used by the judging panels when assessing the projects. The projects are solely assessed in relation to other projects in the same category.
Is the project well-structured and clearly communicated? Is there a clear thread running throughout the presentation, does the presentation stay within the allotted time frame, is there cohesion between the visual and oral presentation and is the message clear.
To what extent is the sustainable part of the project made probable? Does the project demonstrate the extent of the environmental benefit? Is the environmental benefit high? Does the project contribute to social and/or economic sustanability issues?
To what extent is the project technically applicable and likely to be realized? Is the project realizable and can it be implemented within a reasonable time frame? How probable is it that the technology can be applied in the desired manner?
To what extent is it visionary and/or innovative? Is the project innovative? Are the findings surprising?
Judging panels 2018
Panel 1
Erik R. Gregersen Member of the Regional Council Socialdemokratiet
Henrik Poulsen Director INSERO
Henning Skriver Study Board Chairman DTU Space
Kaj Bjarne Jakobsen Head of Studies DTU Electro
Maren Gunnarsdottir DTU Ambassador at IBM
Panel 2
Jacob Wøhler Jørgensen Member of the local council in Ballerup, Venstre
John Buur Christiansen CEO BIOFOS
Britta L. Nissen Head of CPH Asset Management CPH Airport
Mads Peter Schreiber Head of Studies, DTU Diplom
Anker Degn Jensen Study Board Chairman DTU Chemical Engineering
Simon Lundorf Boardmember of Polyteknisk Forening DTU
Panel 3
Mette Hjermind Dencker Member of Parliament Dansk Folkeparti
Morten Mogensen Head of department, Senior Consultant BIIR ApS
Per Holten Andersen President CBS Henrik Wessing Head of Studies DTU Fotonik
Lars Holm Chairman of Polyteknisk Forening DTU
Climate Cards – the Gathering
For decades the powerful force of the Naysayers has had the world in its grip. The Naysayers have convinced everybody that climate change is going to be an apocalyptic end of everything we know and love. Even though we understand it and know how to fix it, they tell us there is nothing we can do about it.
But now a new force has awakened. The force of the Yaysayers. The Yaysayers insist on dreaming of a better future and trying to engineer those dreams. But if they want to stop global warming and save the world they must defeat the Naysayers and show the world that a better future is possible.
Panel 4
Magnus Von Dreiager Member of the local council in Lyngby-Taarbæk Det Konservative Folkeparti
Jacob Kragh Andersen Process Engineer Envidan
Lars-Ulrik Aaen Andersen Head of Department DTU Fotonik
Per Goltermann Study Board Chairman DTU Civil Engineering
Kathrine Rasmussen Student Former winner GRØN DYST
Panel 5
Bjarne Rasmussen Member of the local council in Ballerup Socialdemokratiet
Anne Kathrine Bojesen Uddannelsespolitik chefkonsulent Ingeniørforeningen IDA
Lars D. Christoffersen Head of Department DTU Diplom
Jan Martinussen Study Board Chairman DTU Bioengineering
Tor Noema Nørgaard Boardmember of Polyteknisk Forening DTU
Panel 7
Line Ervolder Member of the Regional Council Det Konservative Folkeparti
Maria Skou Head of department - international relations and product development Dansk Standard
Jens-Peter Lynov Head of Department DTU Nutech
Luise Theil Kuhn Head of Studies DTU Energy
Sarah Rurup Petersen Boardmember of Polyteknisk Forening DTU
Panel 8
Tormod Olsen Member of the Regional Council Enhedslisten
Anette Nørgaard Nordic Startup Lead Microsoft
Bjarke Bak Christensen Head of Department
DTU Bioengineering
Henrik Lehrmann Christiansen Head of Studies
DTU Fotonik
Aleksander Moldt Haack Student Former winner
GRØN DYST
Panel 6
Sigurd Agersnap Member of the local council in Lyngby-Taarbæk Socialistisk Folkeparti
Maria Katja Jensen Enviromental Officer Haderslev Kommune
Thomas Højlund Christensen Head of Department DTU Enviroment
Jørgen Knoop Head of Studies DTU Diplom
Jesper Kirkegård Student Former winner GRØN DYST
Panel 9
Christine Dal Member of the Regional Council Venstre
Anna-Mette Monnelly Bæredygtighedschef NCC
Hans Nørgaard Hansen Head of Department DTU Mechanical Engineering
Monica Garcia Associate Professor DTU Environment
Andreas Schandorph Madsen Student Former winner GRØN DYST
Panel 10
Özkan Kocak Member of the Regional Council Socialdemokratiet
Jesper Hyldig CEO FFH-it Aps
Søren Linderoth Head of Department DTU Energi
Stig Wedel Head of Studies
DTU Chemical Engineering
Rasmus Korslund Schlander Student Former winner GRØN DYST
Panel 11
Peter Westermann
Member of the Regional Council Socialistisk Folkeparti
Peter Johansen Founder Jomitek
Per Dannemand Andersen Head of Department
DTU Management Engineering
Per Bækgaard Head of Studies
DTU Compute
Nicolas Dandanell
Student Former winner GRØN DYST
Panel 13
Bruno Jerup Member of the Regional Council Enhedslisten
Otto L. Frederiksen Cand.merc Otto Mønsted
Erling Halfdan Stenby Head of Department
DTU Chemistry
Jens Christian Andersen Study Board Chairman
DTU Electro
Kristoffer Jakobsen Student Former winner GRØN DYST
Panel 14
Line Kolling Management consultant McKinsey & Company
Peter Normann Vangsbo Nordic Business Developer Climate KIC
Jane Hvolbæk Nielsen Head of Department
DTU Physics
Sara Grex Head of Studies
DTU Diplom
Asbjørn Høj Christensen Student Former winner GRØN DYST
Panel 12
Ali Abbasi Member of the local council in Ballerup Enhedslisten
Jan B Lillelund CTO, Executive Architect
IBM
Peter Hauge Madsen Head of Department DTU Wind
Lars Dittmann Study Board Chairman DTU Fotonik
Josephine Werner
Student Former winner GRØN DYST
Panel 15
John Finnich Pedersen Communication Director Firstmind
Jesper Lomborg Manigoff Sr. Director of Software Engineering 3Shape
Steve Ahn (Sung Tae) Director KAIST
Morten Borup Head of Studies
DTU Environment
Mareva Simon DTU SDG-ambassador
Panel 16
John Åge Lazar
CEO Betech A/S
Johanna Englev Lassen CEO Nordic designers
William Smedick Director of the Academic Leadership Education Program Johns Hopkins University
Zhe Zhang Head of Studies DTU Electro
Laura Astier DTU SDG-ambassador
Panel 19
Nina Movin CEO Otto Mønsted
Anne-Lise Høgh Lejre Direktør Teknologisk Institut, Division for Produktion
Dr. Les Lavkulic Director of Global Resources Systems
The University of British Columbia
Stig Irving Olsen Study Board Chairman DTU Management Engineering
Dariusz Allan DTU SDG-ambassador
Panel 17
Liv Kartvedt Lyskjær Architect Emcon a/s
Jaime Palomino Innovation & Digital Innovation Consultant INSERO
Terrence Yee Hong Kong University of Technology
Taeseong Kim Head of Studies
DTU Wind
João Antonio Basso Rezende DTU SDG-ambassador
Panel 18
Morten Andersson Member of the local council in Ballerup Socialdemokratiet
Morten Osted Partner Mio Management
Michael A. E. Andersen Professor and Deputy Head of Department DTU Electro
Torben Knudby Head of Studies
DTU Diplom
Jens Moll-Elsborg Student Former winner GRØN DYST
Panel 20
Michael Nielsen co-founder and partner ForNAV
Henrik Toft Transformation Architect, CTO IBM
Dénes Csala Lecturer Lancaster University
Erik Vilain Thomsen Study Board Chairman DTU Nanotech
Mette Torsbjerg Møller DTU SDG-ambassador
Panel 21
Christoffer Buster Reinhardt Member of the Regional Council Det Konservative Folkeparti
Anne Lise Middelboe R&D Manager DHI
Emmy Arts Head of International Relations Office Ecole Centrale de Marseille
Lotte Bjerregaard Jensen Head of Studies
DTU Civil Engineering
Amalie Avnborg Member of the Academic Committee
Panel 22
Jens Mandrup Rasmussen Member of the Regional Council Socialistisk Folkeparti
Mikael Schrøder Mentor METRO-Schrøder foundation
Peter Kjeldsen Study Board Chairman DTU Environment
Poul Andersen Head of Studies DTU Mechanical Engineering
Anna Sidse Deleuran Boardmember of Polyteknisk Forening DTU
Panel 23
Kåre Harder Olesen
Deputy Mayor of the local council in Ballerup Venstre
Niels Degn
Senior Vice President Foss
Lasse Engbo Christiansen
Study Board Chairman DTU Compute
Hanne Seidler Jacobsen
Specialkonsulent DTU Food
Rasmus H. Sørensen
Student Former winner GRØN DYST
Panel 24
Pernille Schnoor Member of Parliament Alternativet
Thomas Damkjær Petersen Formand Ingeniørforeningen IDA
Anne Hauch Study Board Chairman DTU Energy
Helge Bjarup Dissing Sørensen Head of Studies DTU Electro
Christian Victor Brabrand Boardmember of Polyteknisk Forening DTU
Panel 25
Mads Fuglede Member of Parliament Venstre
Frank Brodersen Senior Vicepresident, Partnership & Environment Hofor
Renata van der Weijden Senior Researcher ETE Wageningen University
Christian Danvad Damsgaard Head of Studies DTU Physics
Daniela Christina Antelmi Pigosso Head of Studies DTU Mechanical Engineering
Adam Ørbæk Sommer Boardmember of Polyteknisk Forening DTU
Editor: Bente Rasmussen
Journalists: Casper Christophersen Mette Marie Christensen
Design and production: Jessica Di Nota Jonas Doctor Step – Move your brand
Photos: Carsten Broder Hansen Colourbox
Mikal Schlosser Stamers Kontor
The event is sponsored by:
Sustainability and climate change are high on the global agenda. Engineers play a central part in a sustainable development of society. Engineers from DTU can and must continue to contribute to the development of technological solutions that respond to the global challenges. Therefore DTU has initiated GRØN DYST.
