Joseph Weeks Wins National Globe Award

Bermuda College Technical Education Instructor Joseph Weeks has been awarded a National Energy Global Award by the international group, Energy Globe Foundation.

The award comes as a result of his work and leadership on the College’s solar-powered Aquaponics Greenhouse Project, launched nearly three years ago. The project was among more than 2,500 projects from 180 countries around the world, aimed at protecting the environment.

Maneka Ghandi, Chairwoman of the Energy Globe Jury extended congratulations to Mr. Weeks on behalf of the Energy Globe Foundation, headquartered in Austria, describing the awards as “the most significant environmental award, worldwide”.

The Bermuda College project, begun in December 2018, used students from various academic disciplines – earth sciences, applied technology, engineering, and math. However, the project provided broader opportunities to address issues of sustainability, inclusiveness, and innovation in the community.

“As a team, we utilised the S.T.E.M approach to address food security with the aquaponics system. We targeted high energy costs and the need for a more environmentally friendly energy option with the photovoltaic system [solar panels]. With a focus on inclusiveness, we designed the system at waist height, so that the elderly, and persons with disabilities would be able to harvest plants from a seated position,” said Mr. Weeks.

Students helped construct the greenhouse and planted the garden which boasted no fewer than ten various kinds of vegetables and fruit. They also regularly monitored the chemical balance of the system with the assistance of team instructors Mr. Delroy Musson, Dr. Tracey Harney, and aquaponics consultant, Mr. Roy Dennison. Mr. Weeks also installed four solar panels providing the requisite energy source to run the farm.

Notification of the award came last week and Mr. Weeks credited his faith, the support of his family and the dedicated work of the College team, for project’s success of the project.

Evaluations were assessed on a national level [National Energy Globe Awards] and on the international level [Energy Globe World Awards].

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Category: All, Environment, News