Electricity Generating Public Company Limited or EGCO Group by Khanom Learning Center (KNLC) organized the “Transformation for Life” Upcycling Design Contest: Zero Waste Solution. Challenging university students from design fields to turn wastes and unused materials from the “Science Innovation Changes the World” exhibition during the KNLC’s Science Week 2022 into creative products with unique design and added value. The competition welcomed 22 teams and only 10 teams made it through to the final round and have to present their ideas to the judges. The winning entry will be further developed and used at the KNLC.

Ms. Salil Tirawat, EGCO Group’s Executive Vice President-Corporate Management and the chairperson of the contest, said that the KNLC in Khanom District, Nakhon Si Thammarat province was established and operated by EGCO Group to transfer and share knowledge about electricity, the environment and coexistence with community. The KNLC has organized the Science Week every year as part of its commitment to being the learning center for all that inspires new science-based ideas among the younger generation. EGCO Group and KNCL share the same belief that “Good Start Brings Greater Results” and view that the youth are the future of the country.

“Transformation for Life” Upcycling Design Contest: Zero Waste Solution is the spin off from the 4th Science Week activity held at the late of 2022. The contest is aimed at inspiring young people to realize the value and benefits of wastes and their upcycling potential. This idea will promote zero waste practice and resource optimization while opening up opportunities for students to demonstrate their design talent and creativity. By using wastes and unused materials to create value-added products, this contest clearly shows how resource can be optimized and the least possible new resource is used.

“EGCO Group and KNLC wish to congratulate all students participating in this contest, including the contest winners. We hope this activity will inspire young people to learn, develop and further extend their design skills through turning wastes into new and creative items. We are glad that through this activity, we start working together to achieve zero waste, which is a sustainable solution to preserve the environment. This clearly underlines EGCO Group’s vision of “being a major sustainable Thai energy company with full commitment to environment protection and social development support,” said Ms. Salil.

The results of “Transformation for Life” Upcycling Design Contest are as follows:

• Winner: Innovative Sofa Set by Walailak University team and the winning entry will be developed and used at KNLC. The winning team received a trophy and 50,000 baht prize.
• 1st Runner-up: Phaknoi, the multi-purpose chair by King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang team who also won a certificate and 30,000 baht prize.
• 2nd Runner-up: Worm Paradise, a plant nursery by King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang team who also received a certificate and 10,000 baht prize.

Mr. Pichit Virankabutra, Deputy Director of the Creative Economy Agency (CEA) and a member of the judging panel, said, “The contest significantly supports the development of Thailand’s creative industry. It allows young people to learn the entire working process and limitation of upcycling, which is very new and complicated. They worked as if they were in the real work environment and, therefore, learned and understood the actual condition of design process. We hope this will enable them to become good designers who eventually drive the advancement of Thai creative economy.”

Mr. Krit Phutpim, Founder of Dots Design Studio and a member of the judging panel, added, “We have seen many interesting ideas from the participants, which make this contest a fun and colorful event. While the participating students enjoyed the opportunity to demonstrate their talent, they also embrace the sustainability concept of their own, which can be applied to their future works and daily life.”

Mr. Thanandorn Saetang and Mr. Kirati Siho, fourth-year students, School of Architecture and Design, Walailak University, who designed the winning Innovative Sofa Set, said, “At first, we joined this contest to challenge ourselves. We believe what makes us win is our ability to upcycle the waste and unused materials by using weaving technique without any help from chemical process and the fact that our product can be used in different place and environment. Throughout the contest, we have seen so many new ideas and new ways of using wastes from other competitors. We have learned more about upcycling process that make our creative works more environmentally friendly. We highly appreciate the upcycling concept as it promotes sustainable resources consumption and inspire more creativity in design work.”

To learn more about the contest and the works from “Transformation for Life” Upcycling Design Contest, please visit www.facebook.com/KhanomLearningCenter.