Mubadala and Masdar today announced the winners of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in Schools, ADSWS, challenges at Masdar City. Students from more than 30 schools throughout the Emirate of Abu Dhabi participated in a week-long series of interactive, educational activities that tested their critical thinking skills, stretched their creativity and emphasised the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. 

This year’s activities centered on hands-on, team-building exercises where students developed and raced mini solar-powered cars, and created a sustainable model home. Student teams from Umm Al Arab School won the Solar Car Challenge and were also recognised for developing the most sustainable model home. 

Dr. Nawal Al Hosany, Director of Sustainability, Masdar, said, "I continue to be impressed with the level of creativity and deep thinking offered each year by students. Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in Schools is a great platform for students to apply classroom lessons to hands-on, real world activities that challenge their thinking and force them to think outside the box." 

Humaid Abdalla, Director of the Division of Student Affairs, Abu Dhabi Education Council, said, "Every student who participated in this week’s competitions are winners and should feel good about what they accomplished. Mubadala and Masdar have shown incredible leadership by continuing to provide opportunities such as Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in Schools that educate our youth on sustainable development and its importance to society." 

The Solar Car Challenge featured teams of students age 12 to 15 racing small wooden solar-powered cars on a 25m track. The challenge taught students about energy efficiency and the sustainable use of energy. The winning team developed a car that demonstrated outstanding functionality and performed at the highest speed. 

For the Sustainable Home Model competition, teams of three to five students engaged with each other throughout the week to build a sustainable model home, taking into consideration issues such as energy and water consumption, waste water management and sustainable building materials. Each group was given a different location for the house such as Khalifa City A in Abu Dhabi, Ras al-Khaimah and a mountainous area in Wales, United Kingdom. The objective was to encourage students to research the geographical attributes of the city and consider their influence on the design. Submissions were evaluated on their ability to save water, energy and other resources. 

Commenting on the programme, Nadine Hassan, Head of Integrated Marketing and Outreach, Mubadala, said, "This was another great year for Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in Schools. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing highly engaged students working together and using their problem-solving skills to develop solutions that will help create a more sustainable future." 

In addition to the Solar Car Challenge and the Sustainable Home Model competition, the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in Schools included infographics and additional activities that raised awareness on sustainable development. Teachers received workbooks and manuals that included information on sustainability and guidelines for the in-school projects. 

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