The question has been asked – how would you build a sustainable city in the desert?
Siemens, the German energy corporation, has been active in the Middle East over the past couple of years since it bought a couple of solar companies in Israel. Now it is playing a role again as it has just launched a regional Siemens Student Award open to bachelor and master students across the Middle East, asking participants to answer one central question: how to build sustainable cities in the desert. If past behavior is any indicator then solar energy is part of Siemens’ sustainable plan for the region, but it appears that they want to know what the locals think.
Participants were asked to relate their responses towards four main trends: demographic change, climate change, urbanization, and globalization. In 500 words. Students were also encouraged to submit creative visual aids to demonstrate their ideas.
Joachim Kundt, the CEO of Siemens in the United Arab Emirates, said that “the buzz words and tags that rank most highly on the site at the moment are ‘energy’, ‘water’, ‘natural resources’, ‘renewable energy’ and ‘solar’, highlighting the students’ interest in thinking about practical solutions that deal with the most pressing challenges the world faces today.”
“Seeing these topics discussed at a feverish pace gives us hope that future generations in the region are committed to finding solutions, addressing water shortage, better access to health care and clean energy,” Kundt added.
The contest launched in May 2011 and received a large number of submissions before it closed this week. A large number of participants came from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan, with students from over 219 universities registered and involved in the competition online. Ten finalists and the winner of the competition will be announced in Qatar in early November.
: AME info
Read more about Siemens in the Middle East::
Siemens Buys Israel’s Solel for $418 Million
Siemens on a Solar Streak with Investment News Around Arava Power
Siemens to Promote “Green” Solutions at World Future Energy Summit
Image via: Guilherme Jofili
Author: Karen Chernick
Much to the disappointment of her Moroccan grandmother, Karen became a vegetarian at the age of seven because of a heartfelt respect for other forms of life. She also began her journey to understand her surroundings and her impact on the environment. She even starting an elementary school Ecology Club and an environmental newsletter in the 3rd grade. (The proceeds of the newsletter went to non-profit environmental organizations, of course.) She now studies in New York. Karen can be reached at karen (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
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