Last Saturday, on Nov. 19, the Green House SIG, NYU Abu Dhabi’s Youth Climate Think Tank launched its first-ever case competition, funded by NYU Green Grant, at the StartAD venue. During the competition, participants learned about real-world sustainability challenges from the partner governmental agency and companies such as IRENA, Etihad, and Guidehouse, conducted research regarding current issues, and presented a solution in response to the case study.

The event started at 9:30 a.m. with a brief introduction about Green House and a consulting workshop by NYUAD alumnus Alex Miliutkin, Class of 2021, an ESG Consultant from Bain & Company. Then the representatives from IRENA and Guidehouse presented problems and interpreted guidelines for the case study. After a networking lunch, participants started to brainstorm in preparation for the final presentation. Eventually, after a day’s preparation, the top team from three cases stood out and won the competition. The event concluded with final remarks from Guidehouse and the Green House.

Throughout the competition, a series of workshops and mentoring activities boosted participants' experience with sustainability consulting. When interviewing NYUAD students about their experience with the case competition, many of them shared that they found the feedback of the professional consultants to be invaluable and the event itself created good exposure to consulting.

The case competition also showcased how sustainability is increasingly recognized in the corporate world. As Erica Wu, President of Green House and Class of 2023, mentioned, “[The case competition was special because] it showed intergenerational support, how this event demonstrates how sustainability is involved and connected in different fields.”

This was evident by the fact that the event received support from NYUAD alumni Alex Miliutkin, Class of 2021 from Bain & Company and Tintie Knoe, Class of 2022 from Guidehouse.

Indeed, from sustainable aviation to urban energy usage management, from recycling to the energy transition, every industry is trying to provide a sustainable solution for a greener future. The cases provided by the partner agency and companies have addressed all these issues: Etihad presented its launch of sustainable flights, IRENA introduced its sustainable and equitable energy transition, and Guidehouse illustrated Abu Dhabi’s Demand Side Management (DSM) and Energy Rationalization Strategy.

It is worth noting that the NYU Office of Sustainability also supported the event. As the Office of Sustainability commented, “NYU is building a healthier and more sustainable future. Through strategies that span every area of university life, we aim to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, support teaching and research, and provide resources and guidance in establishing a culture of sustainability at NYU. ”