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Winners of Invent for the Planet (Ireland) 2025 create prototype plastic brick for construction of homes in poor countries
A multidisciplinary team of students from colleges across Ireland has won the Irish leg of Invent for the Planet (IFTP) 2025 for their plastic brick prototype solution titled “Creating sustainable housing solutions for expanding poverty areas”.
![IFTP Ireland 2025 winning team IRIS, L to R, back row: Joyce Mathew, ATU Galway, Christopher D'mello, DIT, Gabriela Rodrigues, University of Galway, Camillo Murgia, ATU Galway, Harish Sampathkumar, ATU Donegal. Front row, Dipshikha Das, ATU Galway, Kajal Bhapkar, ATU Donegal. [Photo: Brad Anderson. No repro fee]](https://www.atu.ie/app/uploads/2025/02/Winners-of-Invent-for-the-Planet-Ireland-student-challenge-2025-scaled-746x0-c-default.webp)
A multidisciplinary team of students from colleges across Ireland has won the Irish leg of Invent for the Planet (IFTP) 2025 for their plastic brick prototype solution titled “Creating sustainable housing solutions for expanding poverty areas”. Team IRIS, named after their prototype (Innovation Recycling Infrastructure Solution), is Joyce Mathew, ATU Galway, Christopher D’mello, DKIT, Gabriela Rodrigues, University of Galway, Camillo Murgia, ATU Galway, Harish Sampathkumar, ATU Donegal, Dipshikha Das, ATU Galway, and Kajal Bhapkar, ATU Donegal.
The winning prototype collects plastic waste, adds local clay, sand, basalt fibre and coconut fibre, putting them inside a container and melting them, converting them into bricks to use to build houses in the poorest, plastics stricken hot spots in developing countries. The prototype brick can also store water. The team has developed a kit to enable local people, once trained, to build their homes themselves. The prototype is modular, scalable, and reduces building costs by up to 70%.
The winning teams says: ‘‘Our ‘Invent for the Planet 2025’ journey was more than just an innovation sprint—it was about teamwork, creative problem-solving, and a shared vision for sustainability. Our Replast Kit is designed to empower communities to cultivate self-sufficiency. These 48 hours proved that when technology meets purpose, real change happens. This is more than just technology; it’s about fostering local entrepreneurship, handling environmental impact, and enabling a future where innovation and sustainability go hand in hand.’’
IFTP Ireland is led by Dr Jack Saad, Fulbright Scholar, Texas A&M (PhD Robotics, Genova University, Italy) who lectures in industrial and mechanical engineering in ATU Galway. Dr Saad has been co-managing and co-ordinating the annual event now in its 4th year together with co-organiser and mentors from local industry Damien Toner, Aquatech Business Manager at Bord Iascaigh Mhara – Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency; Frank Kane, Senior Scientist, Marine Institute; Derek Thorton Mechanical Lecturer, ATU; Dr Carine Gachon, Transcend project manager at ATU. The local competition is sponsored by Thermo King, EU Green, Marine Institute and Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency.
“Special thanks to mentors from Thermo king engineering office Ken Gleeson , Peadar Conneely, Guilherme Boratto and Senthil Kumar, to Margaret Mulchrone, Project Manager, EU GREEN University Alliance , EveAnne McCarron, External Engagement, ATU, Grace Latham, Entrepreneur officer, ATU., Mechanical Engineering staff Aoife Obrien, David Keary, Oliver Mulryan, Eathan Mannion and Colin Farrell, and to Catherine Butler, Development and Innovation Executive at Bord Iascaigh Mhara – Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency.
Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President, says: “The Invent for the Planet weekend is one of those magical events that reminds us all of why we are in education – to see groups of students coming from different backgrounds, disciplines and universities working together to solve huge global problems, having fun, engaging with external mentors and judges – the energy is always truly infectious. This year was no exception, and I want to say a big thank-you to the ATU team who managed this event, led by Dr Jack Saad and supported by Dr Carine Gachon, Prof Frances Lucy and EveAnne McCarron. Go raibh maith agaibh – the future is surely in wonderful hands!’’
34 students from seven universities participated in the 48 hour intensive competition aimed at finding solutions to global challenges — Dundalk IT, Maynooth University, University of Galway, University of Limerick, TU Dublin, UCC, TUS and several ATU campuses took part in the 48 hour intensive competition, aimed at solving challenge affecting the planet today.
The students did a 10-minute presentation on their prototypes to a panel of judges including Dr Rick Officer, CEO, Marine Institute, Gail Quinn, HR Leader ,Trane Technologies, Aine Heffernan, Corporate Vice President, Advanced Micro Devices, Dr Hernani Zao Oliveria, University of Evora, EU Green Alliance, and Máirtín Walsh, Development Executive, Bord Iascaigh Mhara.
Gail Quinn, HR Leader, Thermo King says: “It is always such a wonderful few days witnessing the creativity, enthusiasm and diversity of thought, that this competition brings. I leave the event knowing that the future of innovation and spirit of doing good for our planet, is very much alive in the generations coming behind us”.
Organising team Frank Kane, Senior Scientist Marine institute, says: “As always at the Invent for the Planet event, it is inspiring and invigorating to be meeting and working with the brightest of the next generation – the future is in good hands.”
Organising team Damien Toner, Aquatech Business Manager at Bord Iascaigh Mhara – Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency, says: “BIM is delighted once again to participate in Invent for the Planet. Our coastal communities face challenges associated with climate change, depopulation, housing and employment. Seeing students from all over Ireland and globally come together and address these challenges with innovative thinking is inspiring. We know that the event not only provides a platform for their creativity but also builds resilience, tenacity and teamwork. We are privileged to be part of such a unique event.’’
Invent for the Planet 2025 took place worldwide from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 February. Students from 50 universities competed in the global challenge. Led by Texas A&M, USA, there are prizes up to 10,000 USD for the final winner.
The other short-listed projects in the Irish leg of IFTP were:
– Innovative solution to mitigate and adapt to climate change
– Advancing marine-based carbon sequestration with algae and seaweed
– Developing lower carbon solutions for the energy sector
– Advancing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies
– Improving sanitation in riverine communities
Professor Frances Lucy, ATU Lead for EU GREEN University Alliance, says: ‘’EU GREEN is proud to support the ATU competition for ‘Invent for the Planet’. This annual event really shows how student teams can provide ground breaking innovative solutions for complex real world sustainability challenges in just 48hrs. Their enthusiasm, energy and enjoyment was truly infectious!’
Dr Rick Officer, Chief Executive Officer, Marine Institute, says: “I’m very proud of the Marine Institute’s ongoing participation in Invent for the Planet. The event teams together emerging leaders from Ireland’s universities, focusses their creativity and ingenuity, and delivers constructive solutions to wicked challenges facing our planet. It is a pleasure and a privilege for me, and for the Marine Institute’s mentors, to contribute to such a positive and well-needed initiative.”
Ken Gleeson, Engineering Leader – EMEA Truck & Trailer at Thermo Kin, says: “Invent for the planet event is a great insight for students into critical project management, project team dynamics and the pressure of live presentation.”
Judge Aine Heffernan, AMD Corporate Vice President, says: “The Invent for the Planet event at ATU was truly wonderful. It was absolutely amazing to witness what the participants were able to achieve in just 48 hours. The teams tackled real-world problems head-on and came up with creative and feasible solutions that have the potential to address some of the world’s most challenging issues. It was a privilege to see their work and be a part of such an inspiring event.”
For further details on this competition see [Invent for the Planet | Texas A&M University Engineering]
For information on all ATU Mechanical and Engineering programmes see, [Atlantic Technological University]
