Like the Middle East, parts of Peru suffer from a chronic water shortage. Also like parts of this region, such as Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, and other Gulf countries, humidity levels are extraordinarily high.
So when students from the University of Engineering & Technology (UTEC) sought a creative solution to water scarcity as part of a campaign called “Ingenuity in Action,” they found a way to turn these two lemons into clean drinking water with a billboard that sucks moisture from the air.
The students worked with a local advertising agency to design a water-producing billboard that extracts water from the air, which is then processed by a filtration system and funneled to a series of taps at the base of the board.
“The central concept of the creative campaign is ‘Ingenuity in Action,'” said Humberto Polar, Regional VP Creative, May Advertising.
“[It] focuses on showing how behind all that surrounds us, big or small innovations, there are engineers who through his ‘wit’ have been able to provide solutions to problems and contributed to society,” he continued in a recent statement released by UTEC.
Located at the 89.5km distance marker along the Pan-American Highway, the water-producing billboard is equipped with five electric tanks that have a combined carrying capacity of 96 liters of water.
Once filtered, the water captured from the air is reportedly safe to drink.
“This billboard reflects the educational proposal of the university, which is to develop the ingenuity and talent of our students through a practice-based teaching,” said Jessica Ruas Quartara Director Promoting UTEC.
“The aim is to awaken the vocation to study engineering making it more attractive to young people and prepare them to become highly qualified professionals who apply science, technology and innovation for sustainable development of Peru.”
By summer 2013, the billboard should be completely operational. This is the kind of advertising we can handle.
:: Gizmodo
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
