challenge 3
Water accessibility in a changing climate.
Climate-resilient water management systems to ensure safe and ongoing access for all.
This is an engineering challenge for the responsible use of water in our cities/towns and villages around the world. Solutions can be for clean water or for sanitation and other responsible uses of water, including solutions and systems for recycling.
The challenge is to develop a product or system that addresses sustainable use of water for clean, healthy and smart living and is consistent with the theme of World Engineering Day 2022 to Build Back Wiser – Engineering the Future.
UN Sustainable Development Goal
The Challenge addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6
Clean Water and Sanitation
One in three people live without sanitation. This is causing unnecessary disease and death. Although huge strides have been made with access to clean drinking water, lack of sanitation is undermining these advances. If we provide affordable equipment and education in hygiene practices, we can stop this senseless suffering and loss of life.
Participants may nominate additional SDGs that are addressed as part of their solution.
BACKGROUND
Climate change is projected to have increasingly significant impacts on weather patterns globally. In addition to more frequent extreme weather events, a critical effect of these changes is a shift in rainfall patterns. These changes mean that many communities are having to adapt the way they manage water for domestic purposes, and to support other critical activities such as rain-fed agriculture.
Some companies and governments are responding by adopting “net-zero” approaches to water management. By mitigating the pressure placed on freshwater supplies by the water-intensive processes associated with their operations, companies can reduce the negative impacts on surrounding local communities and the environment.
Meanwhile, there are several opportunities to change community practices in relation to water and create systems that lead to more effective retention of water in catchments. This can range from larger scale water recycling in urban contexts like Singapore, to low-tech re-vegetation and retention pond construction approaches in contexts such as rural Timor-Leste.
Engineering solutions in this area benefit from clear consideration of how to effectively engage communities and/or businesses. Approaches such as recycled water have been very successful in some contexts but have faced strong community opposition and stigma in others. Water and sanitation systems also involve consideration of how the solutions will affect the broader set of stakeholders drawing on the same catchment or water supply, to ensure the outcomes are equitable and sustainable.
Examples in Practice
- Spain water resilience, rice farming in Doñana protected wetlands.
- Namibia strategies and policies for water resilience.
- Water resilience in Southern Africa.
- Innovating for water resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean.
To learn more about this topic
Submission Guidelines
This guideline has been designed to support the development of an engineering solution that demonstrates a considered response to one of the engineering challenges and also how one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) are advanced through engineering.
Solution Considerations Overview
The success of an engineering project depends on much more than just the technical feasibility of the initial concept but also consideration of human factors, environmental context, cost and economic benefits, etc., are very important to the successful implementation of any innovative and ‘technically-sound’ idea.
Below are a series of considerations we recommend you factor into your solution to ensure it is appropriate to the context where it is to be implemented. You might ask yourself these questions a few times throughout the development process – it’s okay if you don’t have all the answers right away! How can you build on your original idea, to improve it each time?
Most effective technical solution for the context
- Is the technical solution the most appropriate and effective for this context? Take the time to show what alternatives were considered and why you are proposing this solution as the most appropriate. What was the process you went through to determine this idea was the best one? How have you demonstrated the technical feasibility of this solution?
- How might you construct and/or implement the project? Is your solution one that considers local capacity for ongoing management, repair, and maintenance? As much as possible, does your solution or system proposal align with locally available expertise?
Environmental sustainability outcomes
- What Sustainable Development Goal does your solution idea contribute to? How? Are there any relevant indicators that might be useful to incorporate into your submission? Have you considered the carbon footprint of your proposed product or system?
- What impacts, both positive and negative, will your solution have on the local environment? What measures would you propose be put in place to mitigate any negative impacts?
- Consider the long-term sustainability of your project proposal. What is the life-cycle of your project or solution? What measures could be put in place to ensure either successful continuation into the future or a successful end-of-life process?
- Have you considered the use of locally available materials that are contextually-appropriate and environmentally-friendly wherever possible? Transportation of project materials and availability of materials which might be required for future maintenance are a significant consideration for projects in many locations. Where might your proposed materials be sourced from?
- Have you considered the resiliency of your solution to climate change and disasters?
Engagement of key stakeholders
- Who are the individuals, organisations, or networks who might be impacted (positively or negatively) by your idea? What might these impacts be? Now think again, is there anyone you haven’t included?
- How would you propose a project implementing team engage and consult these stakeholders throughout the project? Think about the initial solution right through to implementation. What avenues are there for community members to become involved? What form(s) of community engagement might be required for your particular solution?
Are there any ethical considerations – such as adverse impacts to the environment, economy, social inclusion, culture, community, resource use, that warrant consideration?
- Incorporation of cultural and social factors, specifically the integration of indigenous knowledge or practices
- Does your solution align with and/or celebrate the cultural and social practices of people who live and work in your project context?
- If relevant to your proposal area, what might Indigenous-led solution look like?
How has your team utilised digital tools, for example to develop models of your proposed solution as part of the solution. Also how the team has utilised ICT in the process of putting forward your submission.
Cost estimates and economic and non-economic benefits
- What is an estimated cost of the project? Think about the ‘capital expenditure’ (initial cost to start) and ‘operational expenditure’ (ongoing costs over time), which might include materials, implementation costs, operation/program delivery costs, and maintenance costs. What trade-offs might you be making in your cost assumptions?
- Are there are any potential economic and non-economic benefits to community stakeholders which could result from the project?
Judges Assessment Criteria
Based on the International Engineering Alliance Global Graduate Attribute and Professional Competencies Profiles. Considering the proposal presented to you, evaluate whether the submission demonstrates the following engineering competencies.
- Engineering Knowledge: Breadth, depth and type of knowledge, both theoretical and practical applied in developing the solution.
- Problem Analysis: Level of thoroughness in examining the problem and developing the solution.
- Design/ development of solutions: The extent to which the solution is original and extent to which the solution uses new and emerging technologies.
- Investigation, research and ongoing learning: Breadth and depth of investigation, literature research and
Experimentation applied in developing a unique and innovative solution.
- Extent of use of digital tools and new technologies: The extent to which digital tools such as modelling, Computer Aided Design and Drawing etc. have been used to develop the solution.
- Contribution to UN SDGs: Contribution to sustainable development and description of the UN SDGs that are addressed by the solution.
- Consideration of broad ethical issues: The ethical issues that are addressed by the solution in terms of impact on the environment, different parts of society and economy and how the team has addressed ethical issues such as diversity and inclusion and how potential adverse impacts have been mitigated and positive impacts celebrated.
- Individual and Collaborative Team work: Examples of how the team collaborated to successfully develop the proposed solution and description of the broad range of diversity elements (gender, age, ethnicity, physical abilities, location rural/urban) in the team.
- Communication: Examples of how the team was resourceful in communicating with each in developing the proposal as well as the effectiveness of communicating the proposed solution.
- Project Management and funding for the solution: Level of project management and estimated cost of solution with suggestions for financing the proposed solution.
Graduate Attributes that are addressed in the solution, referencing the International Engineering Alliance Graduate Attribute and Professional Competency (GAPC) Framework
Maximum Score per Category 4
Score: 0 - Not Addressed
Score: 1 - Limited attempt to address
Score: 2 - Some success in addressing the various elements
Score: 3 - Good attempt to address the element
Score: 4 - Addressed very effectively
Submission Requirements
The judging process will consist of two rounds
- Stage 1 Proposals: One short written proposal (maximum 1000 words in Word or PDF and maximum 2 images of the solution)
- Stage 2 Proposals: Video submission for the 8-10 invited finalist teams