Christopher D'mello a Third-Year Engineering student at DkIT was recently part of the winning team at Invent for the Planet 2025, an international innovation challenge focused on sustainability that took place at Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Galway.

Christopher, a Third Year BEng (Honors) in Mechanical Engineering, was part of Team IRIS (Innovation Recycling Infrastructure Solution), who were named the overall winners of the Irish competition for their invention, the Replast Kit, an innovative and sustainable housing solution aimed at helping communities in poverty-stricken areas. The multidisciplinary team also included students from ATU Galway and ATU Donegal.

Over an intense 48-hour challenge, the team combined engineering, creativity, and a shared vision for social impact to design a solution that fosters self-sufficiency and local entrepreneurship. Their project not only addresses the urgent need for affordable housing but also promotes environmental responsibility, proving that when innovation meets purpose, real change happens.

The team’s prototype collects plastic waste and combines it with local clay, sand, basalt fibre, and coconut fibre. This mixture is then placed inside a container and melted, transforming it into bricks which can be used to build homes in plastic-polluted, poverty-stricken areas of developing countries. Additionally, the prototype brick can store water. The team has created a kit that allows residents, once trained, to construct their own homes. The prototype designed by team IRIS is modular, scalable, and can reduce building costs by up to 70%.

Speaking about the challenge, Christopher D'mello said:

"Invent for the Planet was an intense but incredibly rewarding experience. Over the course of the competition, our team had to think critically, innovate under pressure, and work together to develop a solution that could make a real difference. It was incredible to collaborate with passionate people, receive guidance from mentors, and see how much we could accomplish in such a short time. Winning the competition was a huge moment for us, but more than that, it showed us how engineering and innovation can create real change. From here, we’re excited to see what opportunities come next. If our team is selected as one of the top five teams globally, we'll have the chance to present our idea at the final competition at Texas A&M University in the USA, which would be an incredible opportunity to showcase our work on an even bigger stage."

Christopher was joined in the competition, by three fellow DkIT students, Kshitiz Mittal (Third Year BA in Digital Marketing and Public Relations), Mansi Vilas Jikar (Third Year BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering) and Jerry Jose Vincent Alphonse (Final Year BEng in Mechanical Engineering).

Kshitiz’s team finished second overall, and their pitch was named as the best among all competing teams.  His team worked to replace traditional concrete and steel foundations with engineered timber foundations treated with a waterproofing process. This approach tackled important carbon capture challenges. By using timber, their solution reduced the initial carbon emissions from concrete and steel while also storing carbon within the material itself.

Mansi and Jerry worked on developing innovative carbon solutions for the energy sector with their team LeakShield, whose project aimed to reduce carbon emissions by addressing microleaks in network pipelines, leveraging technology to enhance sustainability efforts.

Invent for the Planet 2025 took place globally from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 February. Students from 50 universities competed in the global challenge. Led by Texas A&M, USA, there are prizes up to 10,000 USD for the final winner.

Catherine McCloskey, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering at DkIT said:

“Firstly, I would like to thank Atlantic Technology University Galway for organising this annual event and providing the opportunity for Dundalk Institute of Technology students to participate. It is fantastic to see our students collaborate with other disciplines, academic institutions and industry on initiatives such as 'Invent for the Planet.’ As a lecturer it is encouraging to observe our students applying the knowledge and skills they learn across their modules and programmes to solve current global sustainability issues. Congratulations to all the DkIT participants (Mansi, Jose, Kshitiz and Christopher) and wishing Christopher and his winning team every success in the next round!”