Sustainable Solutions, Roads of the Future Challenge Finale
“Think Innovatively, Think Sustainability”
Overview of Roads of the Future Competition
This annual activity run by Transport Scotland’s Academy9 educational programme challenges pupils to design their own sustainable road in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their designs are judged by sustainability experts currently working on the A9 Dualling programme. The challenge is teacher- led and supported by a sustainability mentor assigned to each participating school.
Resources are provided, including a step-by-step lesson plan aligned with Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes.
What does the challenge involve?
This challenge provides the perfect solution to incorporating sustainability into teaching and learning. The Academy9 team invite any Scottish primary and secondary schools to take part in this challenge, to create the most sustainable road and environment surrounding it.
The Roads of the Future Challenge tasks pupils with designing their sustainable roads in line with the design criteria set by the Academy9 team and incorporating as many of the United Nations’ SDGs as possible.
The Sustainable Development Goals are a set of targets related to future international development. The goals were created by the United Nations in 2012 and were promoted to produce a set of universal goals that meet the urgent environmental, political, and economic challenges facing our world.
Judging Ceremony:
Following an initial sifting of submissions, the successful, shortlisted teams are invited to the final round, which is an in-person ceremony where teams from across Scotland present their road designs. Judging takes place at the ceremony, with the best teams receiving awards, as well as getting the chance to hear from guest industry speakers.
Prizes are given for the Most Innovative Design, Best Teamwork, Most Environmentally-Friendly Design, and Best Overall Design (Most Sustainable).
Very well done to this year’s finalists: Towerbank, Canberra, Dunoon and Rowantree Primary Schools, and St Paul’s RC Academy, Kingussie and Pitlochry High Schools.
With a further congratulations to Towerbank Primary School for winning the Most Sustainable Award and St Paul’s RC Academy who won both the Most Sustainable and the People’s Choice Awards.
