All in for Go Green in the City!

May 13, 2019

Nicolás Silva Vidal was a Global finalist of the Go Green in the City 2018 challenge. In this blog he shares how his passion for sustainability led him to apply to Go Green competition.

Be part of the change

I am an Environmental Engineer and a LEED Green Associate from Bogotá, Colombia. In my search for new challenges as a sustainability advocate I pursued a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Studies in Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

The 21st century arrives with a new paradigm, leaving behind modernity and embracing sustainability as the beacon for a brighter future as society. In order to promote sustainability, the Go Green in the City competition creates the path and space for new bold ideas that will shape the future, along the two mega trends of Electrification & Digitization, for the upcoming 4^th industrial revolution.

As you can imagine I am passionately committed to sustainability and was excited to take part in a global competition which empowers my vision. Together with my teammate Miriam Romero, we became finalists from over 24,000 participants worldwide to share our “Bicify” idea in Atlanta. It’s a massive achievement and definitively the experience of a lifetime.

Where to start and how to prepare

I would like to share some tips and advice that could help you throughout the challenge, but mostly encourage you to immerse in this amazing journey called Go Green in the City.

I ask you to embark on this journey, give the best of yourself, and summit your bold idea here now!!! https://gogreeninthecity.se.com/

The first stage of the competition is the most important one, you have to stand out!!! First of all, try to make your presentation simple and concrete. Also, focus on what makes your solution innovative and unique. Then don’t forget to focus on one of the 4 categories and collect all the facts and data necessary to answer the requisites.

Sustainability is about a whole approach, therefore keep in mind how your idea is related to the environment and society. What’s more, your idea needs to be economically and technically feasible. And again, set the spotlight on your idea and contributions to solve a specific problem.

Finally, for the next stages, be ready to take your bold idea to the next level. And don’t worry, you will have the support of great professionals at Schneider Electric as your mentors. They will help you to develop the idea and be prepared to present it in front of the final jury.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank Luis, Ana Carolina, Inés, Angel, Alicia and Elena for your crucial assistance and guidance.

2019 finals in Barcelona

In addition to all the advantages – this year the global finals are going to be held in Barcelona, Spain! A vibrant and unique city where cultures merge with incredible food, landscapes and architecture that you must encounter. (Bonus: we have La Sagrada Familia and the beach). This city inspired us and leveraged our idea along the challenge in 2018. Therefore it may now be the perfect scenario for winning the competition by you!