
YOUR PLANET, YOUR VOICE
Climate change is serious –
it demands significant changes to the way we live.
How much do you know about it?
If it’s not much, you’re not alone. Statistics say very few young people know what’s going on.
Maybe it’s not delivered in a way that’s interesting or digestible.
Maybe the science goes over your head.
Maybe the focus on Covid and Brexit, having to stay at home, not being able to see your school friends and do normal things, makes you switch off.
Or, maybe you do know about it, but think one person can’t do anything to change the world.
Maybe you, and other young people like you, need a cool education centre that focuses on the future of our planet.

#DesignTheCOP
TIME FOR BIG CHANGES
In November 2021, the UK will host the 26th United Nations Climate Change ‘Conference of the Parties’ (COP26) at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow, Scotland.
Thousands of people from all over the world, including heads of state, climate experts, scientists and campaigners, will come together to agree how the world can tackle climate change and achieve net zero.
Where do you, and other young people, go to get in on the action?
DESIGN THE COP
AN EDUCATION CENTRE FOR OUR PLANET
We want you to design The COP – an exciting educational building where young people can explore the STEAM of Climate Change.
A place for young people to highlight and drive the youth response to the global climate emergency.
It will be Glasgow’s most sustainable, energy-efficient building – integrating smart sensor technology to monitor itself and the local environment.
Multi-functional, it will offer a wide range of activities, enabling children and young people of all ages to develop knowledge and skills as ambassadors and custodians of Planet Earth.
The COP will provide creative ways for young people to focus on the key scientific themes discussed at COP26: Clean Transport, Nature Solution, Adaptation & Resilience and Energy Transition.

Deliverables
HOW TO ENTER
The COYO ‘Design The COP‘ Challenge is open to all schools
from 15th March to 15th October 2021
Age Category 1:
Year 7-9 (England & Wales)
Year 8-10 (N. Ireland)
S1-3 (Scotland)
Grade 6 – 8 (International)
Age Category 2:
Year 10-11 (England & Wales)
Year 11-12 (N. Ireland)
S4-5 (Scotland)
Grade 9 – 10 (International)
Age Category 3:
Year 12-13 (England & Wales)
Year 13-14 (N. Ireland)
S5-6 (Scotland)
Grade 11-12 (International)
Students will explore and carry out on a range of professional roles as they develop and deliver their ideas for The COP.
Each school team should comprise a maximum of 10 students with team members undertaking particular responsibilities. We’ve found that some prefer smaller teams with each team member adopting a number of responsibilities.
Whatever they choose, and however small or large the team, students will develop exceptional team working skills, from creative thinking and conflict resolution to communication and organisation skills.
15th March – COYO Challenge 2021 registration opens.
Your teams can start designing!
15th October – COYO Challenge 2021 closes.
Teams must submit their entries by this date.
9th November – COYO Challenge Judging Panel meets at 2pm.
Judges choose a winner in each age category.
9th November – COYO Challenge 2021 winners announced at 5pm.
Time to celebrate!
At Class Of Your Own, we believe in prizes that money can’t buy.
Thanks to the support of exceptional partners, leaders of design, engineering, construction and technology, we have created some extraordinary experiences for winners year-on-year.
Experiences that provide young people with opportunities to advance their interest in the Built Environment, with a CV and set of references they can be proud of!
So we are thrilled to announce RIBA Sterling Prize winner and Design The COP judge, Professor Stephen Hodder MBE will be hosting a DESIGN MASTERCLASS for the overall winning team followed by a TECHNOLOGY MASTERCLASS with experts from Bentley Systems. There’s Topcon Positioning Systems MEASUREMENT EQUIPMENT and goody bags for all winning schools…and more!
Please email your completed entry to support@classofyourown.com and add ‘Our Design The COP Entry’ to the subject line.
Do feel free to use a file sharing service (Dropbox, Sharepoint etc).
Don’t forget, send your entries by 12pm on 15th October 2021.
Kindly supported by
RESOURCES
Full film available on BBC iPlayer
ALSO….
Available to all registered schools, our ‘Design The COP’ VIP ROOM offers incredible support to help your teams compete in this year’s challenge.
It’s packed with useful information, helpful hints and tips, aligned to the themes of COP 26 and net zero building design, including:
- Supporting videos from Heriot-Watt University
- Opportunities to learn with real surveyors in school
- Climate and Flood Risk fact sheets
- Virtual Reality applications to visit the site
- Access to real-time air quality data
Simply sign up to gain access!
Meet our extraordinary Judges

Stephen Hodder MBE
Chairman, Hodder + Partners
Chair, Construction Industry Council
Stephen Hodder was educated at the School of Architecture, University of Manchester, where he gained a Distinction in the Bachelor of Architecture degree. Following University, he joined Building Design Partnership in 1981 and became a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1982.
He has been in practice since 1983 and in 1992 formed Hodder Associates which won the Royal Fine Art Commission/Sunday Times Building of the Year Award for Colne Swimming Pool in Lancashire later that year.
Stephen was RIBA President 2013-15, having previously been Vice President Membership, Nations and Regions. He regularly acts as an assessor for architectural competitions and awards, most recently for the RAIC International Prize and sits on the Design Review Panel for Places Matter!
He was awarded an MBE for services to architecture in the Queens Birthday Honours List, 1998.
He received an honorary doctorate in 2006 from the Manchester Metropolitan University for his regional, national and international contribution to architecture and won the Roses Design Award of ‘Architect of the Year’ in the same year.
Stephen has written and lectured widely, has been a visiting examiner at a number of schools of architecture and visiting Professor at the Birmingham School of Architecture, the Belfast School of Architecture and the University of Salford, School of the Built Environment.
He is currently external examiner at ‘Ion Mincu’ University of Architecture and Urbanism, Bucharest and Professor of Architecture at the Manchester School of Architecture.
Stephen received an honorary fellowship from the University of Central Lancashire in 2013 and elected as Chair of the Construction Industry Council (CIC) for 2019-2021.

Professor T. Malcolm Chrisp
Head of The School of Energy Geoscience Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University
Professor T. Malcolm Chrisp is a structural engineer and material specialist. He has over thirty years experience within both industry and the university sector.
Within industry he has involved in major structural design projects involving extreme exposure environments, including costal and marine structures such as tunnels and bridges eg Channel Tunnel.
Within academia his particular research experience is in:
- assessment and modelling of structure loading under extreme exposure conditions;
- quantification of material durability performance under severe exposure conditions, in particular aggressive saline environments.
His research work has been funded by both industry and national research councils. He has secured patent status for developments and contributed key impact statements to the UK Research Excellence Framework through research work with international application.
In learning and teaching he specialises in teaching Civil and Structural Engineering Design. He has long pioneered in the area of problem based and challenge led learning. He has experience in interdisciplinary and international project work in both traditional teaching environments and online learning environments. He has been awarded both the Graduating Students Teaching Prize and the Student Oscars.
During his career he has served on Committees of the UK’s Institution of Structural Engineers and Institution of Civil Engineers. He is currently Head of the School of Energy Geoscience Infrastructure and Society, Heriot Watt University.

Anne Johnstone
Founder & CEO, Fair Futures
Anne Johnstone is an experienced environmental and sustainability consultant. She established Fair Futures Partnership in July 2020 having previously been Head of Environment, Energy and Sustainability at Hollis, a global real estate consultancy.
Anne has expertise across a broad range of sectors and specialises in the provision of advice on ESG and net zero carbon strategies. Anne is a Fellow of the RSA, sits on the governance board of the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre and is a member of the Investment Property Forum Scottish board.
She is currently co-curating a major project with After the Pandemic, activating a 4,000sq m area of vacant and derelict land on the River Clyde as a creative and community hub for Glasgow in the run up to, and during, COP26.

Chris Stark
Chief Executive, UK Climate Change Committee
Chris Stark is the Chief Executive of the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC), the independent authority on tackling climate change under the UK’s Climate Change Act. Chris leads a team of analysts and specialists, offering expert insight into the challenges of reducing UK emissions and adapting to the changing climate.
Chris led the CCC’s work to recommend a ‘Net Zero’ target for the UK – and has since directed detailed analysis and advice on the UK’s path to carbon neutrality. He speaks regularly on the transition to a zero carbon economy and the need to confront climate change with urgency.
Chris has wide experience in government. He has designed economic policy in Whitehall, including in HM Treasury and the former Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. He was previously Director of Energy and Climate Change in the Scottish Government, leading the development of the Scottish energy and climate strategies.

Zoe Sharpe
Senior Development Manager, Dandara
Zoe is a dually qualified solicitor and chartered surveyor with over 15 years of experience in the real estate and development industry. She graduated from University College London studying Politics and East European Studies and then attended the College of Law in London. She has also gained an MSc in Real Estate Management from the University of the West of England (Bristol).
Zoe is a Senior Development Manager at Dandara within its Build to Rent business. She is based in Bristol but the business stretches across the UK. This is demonstrated by the geographic range of her projects which currently include 600 new homes at City Wharf in Glasgow, 500 new homes in Luton and 750 new homes in Bristol.
She is also part of the EG Future Female Leaders programme: Future Female Leaders – EG

Design The COP Shortlist Panel
Following their extraordinary support of last year’s COYO Challenge, Class Of Your Own is honoured to partner with Heriot-Watt University once again.
Our 2021 shortlist panel comprises undergraduate students from The School of Energy, Geoscience Infrastructure and Society (EGIS) and The Centre of Excellence in Smart Construction from Edinburgh, Dubai and Malaysia campuses.
The panel will draw on the experience of their studies at EGIS to review and shortlist entries, led by Scott Calder of the infamous (!) ‘Team Esteem’, Heriot-Watt University’s official entrant into the Solar Decathlon Middle East 2020 competition and Alizah Mughal, former DEC student, now in the final year of her Masters in Civil Engineering.