LSBU students win prestigious national engineering design competition
Engineering students at London South Bank University (LSBU) have won a national competition for sustainable development design, beating teams from universities across the country to take home a £2,000 prize.
Two LSBU teams were shortlisted at the Engineering for People Design Challenge National Finals, where 36 student teams competed. One team took the overall prize for their sustainable urban infrastructure concept, one of only two shortlisted teams from the same university.
The achievement reflects the breadth of talent across LSBU's School of Engineering and Design, spanning both full-time and apprenticeship engineering pathways.
The winning team: BEng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering students Junior Ismael Lake Humphrey, Harpreet Singh, Naheed Sultana and Thanushan Saravannapavan designed canal-side floating infrastructure pods for Ladywood in Birmingham. The concept turns underutilised urban waterways into community hubs using modular floating platforms with shaded public spaces, food-growing plots, rainwater harvesting and solar-powered micro-energy systems.
The finalist team: BEng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Apprenticeship) students Christine Nery Reyes, Olivia Harding-Williams and Ayonitemi Peter Lamidi developed a working prototype sphagnum moss air filter. The kerbside air purifier uses living moss sheets to absorb particulate matter and carbon dioxide near congested urban roads.
Alessio Corso, Associate Professor in Engineering and Design at LSBU, said: "I am incredibly proud of the success of our two teams at the national finals and absolutely thrilled that LSBU has won the competition overall.
“Seeing our students push the boundaries of sustainable design engineering on a national stage has been a privilege. Our students' engineering creativity is truly one of their standout strengths, allowing them to transform complex technical theory into elegant solutions for real societal needs."
The Engineering for People Design Challenge is a global initiative delivered by Engineers Without Borders UK in partnership with Engineers Without Borders South Africa.
Embedded directly within the curriculum of over 40 universities, the project-based learning programme encourages students to think beyond purely technical mechanics.
The challenge tasks future engineers with examining the broader social, environmental and economic impacts of their design decisions. Additionally, it aligns directly with accrediting body expectations, ensuring graduates can confidently evidence their understanding of the engineering cycle within constrained, real-world community contexts.