INTRODUCING INTERGATED 1من اصل2

OFF- GRID UTILITIES FOR NEW SETTLEMENTS IN SINAI
PENINSULA
ENG. HALA MOHMED RASLAN
URBAN PLANNING ENGINEER IN THE GENERAL
ORGANIZATION FOR PHYSICAL PLANNING GOPP  
The desired population growth in new settlements in Egypt requires
expanding proper and efficient utility networks (e.g. water supply,
sanitation, electricity and gas) to attract more dwellers. But low population
density in these settlements makes conventional utility networks unfeasible.
In Sinai, central networks are even more unfeasible due to special
topography and recurrent terror attacks. Off-grid utilities have been proved
for efficient and sustainable performance in many countries around the
world. The proposed integrated off-grid system for Sinai settlements is
formed of four systems: Water is supplied by groundwater pumps,
desalinated by solar desalination systems and filtered by gravel and carbon
filters. Electricity is provided by solar panels and water is heated by solar
collectors to reduce power consumption. Wastewater is divided into grey
water, treated by septic tanks and then reused in toilet flushing and garden
irrigating, while black water is treated by anaerobic digester to produce
cooking gas and fertilizer. Kitchen waste, cattle waste, agriculture waste or
any available organic matter available, can be added to the digester to
maximize biogas yield and improve the quality of produced fertilizer.
This integrated system can make a totally off-grid sustainable society where
the government doesn’t need to spend billions on building and expanding
central utilities. Off-grid utilities are more secured against terror, more
economic, sustainable and with minimum environmental footprint. They
also enhance the social relations among the users and increase their sense of
responsibility. By providing prefabricated off-grid models for instant use,
people in new settlements will be encouraged to use them and adopt a new
sustainable life.