Ukraine Windows Makeathon - (Classroom)

tl;dr The war in Ukraine has left many Ukrainians facing freezing temperatures without adequate insulation in their area. A breakdown in supply chains alongside increasing fuel costs makes the problem very difficult to solve nationwide. In this Makeathon we are setting the challenge to design and construct solutions that will help improve insulation in flats in Ukraine which can be constructed from everyday materials.

This event will be hosted both online and offline. For offline come to Makespace cambridge, for online use the link below.

Ukraine Makeathon Zoom Link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/75323552948?pwd=L7AYKGHRj0n4aoHWek3XsI7Bgt38jn.1

## Situation

Since the start of the war, an estimated 1-10 million windows have been blown out in Ukraine. Soaring energy prices and sub-zero winter temperatures make this an urgent problem as windows are a key component of good building insulation. Most people have come up with emergency solutions to block air from passing through with materials such as plywood or plastic wrap. However, many of those solutions will not last through the whole winter as they are not insulating enough. We believe that - all together - we can come up with a solution that Ukrainians can use to replace the shattered windows and go through the harsh winter months.

## Problem to solve

Design a method to replace the shattered windows in Ukraine. The solution should most importantly be well-insulating, but other key factors are listed in the requirements section. Ideally, the product should only require materials which can be easily found by the locals in Ukraine, so everyday materials and common DIY equipment. Solutions requiring materials to be shipped to Ukraine will also be considered but should be avoided.

## Answer

We are hosting a makeathon at Makespace in Cambridge. The plan in to being building several solutions that can be used to improve insulation in damaged Ukrainian flats. We hope that after the makeathon we will have some potential solutions that can be built at home by ordinary Ukrainians to help keep them warm and save fuel over winter.

## What we are offering

The idea of this Makeathon is to bring teams together to begin working on solutions to a host of problems. We don't expect solutions by the end of the day. Instead, we hope that teams will form and begin their journey to creating great projects that make a real difference to Ukrainians in Ukraine. We'll help with the links we've set up to get your solution tested on the ground in Ukraine, and should it prove successful we'll help spread the word. With a really good solution, there may even be an opportunity to change the way the UN designs its shelters in such areas!

So please come down to Makespace for a few hours on Sunday and lend your brawn and brains to an initiative that could really help Ukrainians!