Sustainable city in the desert Desert Utopia Ariana Malik University of Dubai

Demographics Climate Change The desert is already hot, but with global warming the need to develop a modern infrastructure to better accommodate a desert region has to be developed. Siemens can take advantage of the abundance of sunlight in the desert to build a sustainable city, and therefore aim to slow global warming. With increased number of birth rates; a growing population has growing needs for water, electricity, transportation and residence. The need to develop all these in a sustainable manner is what is needed for society to prosper. The majority of the population in the middle east desert region are youth, and with these new technologies to develop a sustainable city, jobs, education, research and training possibilities would increase. Any the society would benefit.

Urbanization With more and more people living in cities, cities are growing. And population and demand for means of survival are increasing. We need the right technology to develop a city framework in the desert. As well as being modern and ecofriendly.

Globalization In a global society, where there is an integration of traditions and cultures and trade is increasing a city framework in the desert that is modern and of the highest global standards has to be created.

So what is the right technology? 4 key Aspects. Ensure a steady, safe supply of drinking water. Provide a reliable source of energy / electricity. Create intelligent buildings. Provide transportation for the movement of people and flow of goods.

How to get a safe supply of drinking water? In the desert region fresh water is scarce, but there is a surplus of salt water in the neighbouring ocean bodies. The technology needed to treat seawater is desalination, but not just any desalination, desalination costs lots of money, and lots of energy. The combination of Ink based plastic solar panels and “Nano scale membranes ” aid in the process of desalination to make it more effective.

Ink Based plastic Solar Panels Ink based Plastic solar panels have many benefits: They are cost effective Thin Cheap to produce Fast to produce and in mass quantities Not big and heavy like conventional solar panels

Ink Based Plastic Solar Panels

Nano scale Membranes These new membranes use a uniquely cross-linked matrix of polymers and engineered nanoparticles designed to draw in water ions but repel nearly all contaminants. These new membranes are structured at the Nano scale to create molecular tunnels through which water flows more easily than contaminants.

Why this technology? Nano Scale Membranes Repel organics and bacteria Less energy is needed to pump water through the membranes Less expensive Twice the productivity

For Energy Production? Ink Based Plastic solar Panels Wind turbines These solar panels have the potential to deliver large amounts of energy if fields of these solar panels were placed across the desert, in a unique fashion, to have more energy production in less amount of space. These plastic panels could be placed on houses or the paint could even be placed on electric cars to cahrge the car! Wind turbines The desert region is also abundant with wind, especially at night, placing wind turbines off the desert coast, will provide a sustainable energy source, offshore is better than onshore because wind can be created by tides and therefore offer more energy, and less noise pollution can be heard.

intelligent buildings In today’s world, in a sustainable city, what is needed, is to make spacious apartment buildings that are modern and ecofriendly. To do this we need to build buildings with super insulation, super doors and windows, to cool quickly when needed or warm quickly when needed. The need for energy would reduce as there would be more efficiency. “Transparent Thin Film Solar Material and “Fullerenes” technology is a new material Its keynote is the use of “fullerenes”, which are molecules composed of 60 carbon atoms, shaped roughly like a soccer ball. Fullerines have the ability to assemble themselves into a honeycomb-like pattern of hexagons. When they are applied to a polymer they end up pushing the polymer chains to the edges of the hexagons, and that makes the resulting material transparent.” These “solar panels” can be applied to windows to be the main supply of energy for the buildings. They are also transparent and can be used in any modern architecture, without looking unpleasant. Ink based solar panels could also be used. To build the house Thermo Poly Rock (TPR) from recycled plastics and minerals could be used as a structural building product. This material is 100% recyclable.

Thin Film Solar Material Trees could be planted all over the city, and around these buildings to become a green city a true Desert Utopia Thin Film Solar Material

Transportation Inductive Power Transfer (IPT), wireless charging, can be used to build an entire city based on wireless technology. This technology will solve the problem of transportation. Electric cars, buses and electric trains are the main means of transportation in the “Desert Utopia”. The technology developed by Halo IBT allows you to charge your car while driving or while you have parked your car. This special technology will be placed on roads and parking spots all around the city, for transportation. Transportation of goods can be done be electric trains, the railway will also have this technology, so it can be charged while it ‘s moving. Another unique feature of inductive power transfer is that it can store energy, or give back energy when it doesn’t need it.

References: http://theenergycollective.com/christine-hertzog/61056/smart-buildings-smart-grid-need- smart-policy http://nanotechnologytoday.blogspot.com/2006/11/nanotech-water-desalination- membrane.html http://directoryofdubai.com/articleshub/most-productive-spots-for-wind-turbines-in-order- 820.html http://www.go-green.ae/greenstory_view.php?storyid=1643 http://solar.sanyo.com/hit.html http://www.haloipt.com/advantages.aspx#n_advantages-intro http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/8531170.stm