Johnson Controls, Kohler Add Water Category to ICE Student Contest
Igniting Creative Energy Water integrates the connection of water and energy conservation into the challenge; entries must be postmarked by March 4.
Johnson Controls will add a water category this year to the 10th annual Igniting Creative Energy (ICE) Challenge, a national competition for kindergarten through twelfth grade students to share ideas about wise energy choices and environmental stewardship. The company has been involved with the competition for 10 years.
Water efficiency is a growing concern with nearly 36 states expecting to face water shortages within the next five years, according to a 2008 study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ICE Water integrates the close connection of water and energy conservation into this educational competition and prompts teachers and students to integrate water into their classroom discussions about energy and natural resources.
“When we conserve water, we conserve the energy needed to pump and treat it,” said Bruno Biasiotta, vice president and general manager, Energy Solutions Americas, Johnson Controls. “For the last decade, the ICE Challenge has actively engaged youth to think about energy efficiency. Adding water conservation to this thought process enhances the learning experience for today’s students – our future environmental leaders.”
The company is teaming with Kohler Co. on the addition of ICE Water. Kohler will provide technical and promotional support for the water category and company executives will serve on the judging panel.
Five Grand Prize winners, four student winners and one teacher will travel to the 2011 U.S. Energy Efficiency Forum (EEF) where they will share their winning projects with national leaders and energy policymakers. Co-sponsored by Johnson Controls and the United States Energy Association, EEF aims to advance energy efficiency issues as part of a broader campaign to raise energy awareness. The event is scheduled to take place on June 15-16 in Washington, D.C.
In addition to the national winners, the highest scoring student in each qualifying state or province will receive recognition as the State or Province winner. Through the Johnson Controls Blue Sky Involve program, ICE winners and their schools are encouraged to team up with a Johnson Controls employee to work on a volunteer project that protects the environment in their community. Employees can then submit the project to be considered for a $1,000 grant donated to the school. In 2006, Johnson Controls developed Blue Sky Involve, its global employee volunteer program, which focuses on environmental stewardship and leadership development among employees.
The ICE Challenge is administered by the National Energy Foundation (NEF) on behalf of Johnson Controls. NEF has served as the ICE education partner over the life of the competition and continues to help create awareness about the competition among teachers and students throughout the nation.
All ICE Challenge entries must be postmarked by March 4; submissions postmarked by Feb. 18 will qualify for additional early bird prizes. ICE Challenge winners will be announced in late March.