Eco-tiles earn KL school top honours in innovation challenge

Congratulations: The SM Setiabudi team posing for a photo with Noraini (third from left); Zaleha (fourth from left); UM associate deputy vice-chancellor (Academic and International) Prof Dr Yvonne Lim Ai Lian (middle); Datuk Seri Loo Chong Peng of Yayasan MR DIY board of trustees (ninth from left); and MR DIY Group vice president (Human Resource Management) Henry Voon (10th from left).

SM Setiabudi, Kuala Lumpur, is the champion of the DIY Made Simple 2025 competition (see table), an annual nationwide programme designed to foster innovation and sustainability among Malaysian students.

The school’s four-member team impressed judges with its waste-to-energy project, Huzz Buzz – eco-tiles that capture kinetic energy from footsteps to generate and store electricity, which can then be used to power small devices, improve school facilities, and promote greener practices.

Now in its ninth edition, the competition saw SM Setiabudi triumph over 273 entries from 116 schools nationwide at the grand finale and prize-giving event held in KL on Sept 4.

Organised by Yayasan MR DIY, the philanthropic arm of home improvement retailer MR DIY Group (M) Berhad, the competition was run in collaboration with Universiti Malaya Community Engagement Centre (UMCares) and the the varsity’s Faculty of Built Environment, with the support of the Education Ministry’s Sports, Co-Curriculum and Arts Division.

Winning idea: A booth showcasing the Huzz Buzz eco-tiles that turn footsteps into electricity.

This year’s theme, “Waste to Energy: Innovate for a Greener Future”, encouraged students to showcase practical solutions that transform solid waste into reusable energy sources, reducing costs while promoting sustainability.

Describing DIY Made Simple as “more than a competition”, Yayasan MR DIY chief executive officer Zaleha Mohd Mydin said it is a platform that equips students with real-world skills and inspires young Malaysians to shape a sustainable future.

The competition, she said, is proof that education, creativity and innovation go hand in hand.

It is essential, said UMCares director Assoc Prof Dr Noraini Ahmad, for universities, government and non-government agencies, and corporations to unite in championing initiatives that bring lasting value to the community.

“By working together, we can create meaningful change that leaves a positive legacy for generations to come,” she said in a press release.

Since its inception in 2017, DIY Made Simple has engaged over 8,000 students from 715 schools across Malaysia, with more than 5,000 project submissions to date.