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Water stress in hyperarid environments: exploration of biomimetic urban fog collectors (UFCs) for sustainable water management

par Verbrugghe, Nathalie ;Khan, Ahmed Z.
Référence Belgian Science for Climate Action Conference 2024 - Causes and Consequences of Climate Extremes (19-20 February 2024: Brussels)
Publication Non publié, 2024-02-20

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Résumé :

The pressure on conventional water networks in urban areas is increasing due to urbanization, climate change, and environmental injustice. Especially in arid regions this is demanding adaptation and redevelopment strategies regarding water management. A viable freshwater alternative is fog, collected through a cost-effective, low-maintenance and passive structure with a mesh placed perpendicular to the predominant wind direction. Depending on environmental factors such as cloud liquid water content and wind speed, the yield can reach 30 l/m2/day. Fog collectors already serve as a reliable and sustainable alternative for rural communities around the globe, but their application in a metropolitan context remains underexplored. This doctorate investigates strategies to integrate Urban Fog Collectors (UFCs) using design parameters and biomimicry for efficiency to deal with the current and future water stress in fog-loaded climates, focused on cities in the Atacama Desert. UFCs as a complimentary supply integrated within the urban tissue is explored using two approaches: as a (building-integrated) decentralised system, or as large fog collector parks. In (hyper)arid areas the urban metabolism can benefit from fog in terms of economy and ecology, serving to avoid potential drought spells, augmenting urban regeneration, altering the population’s altitude regarding alternative water resources, and contributing to achieve sustainable resilient cities. Visual elements accompanying this research include schemes of: the methodology and design parameters deduced from a systematic literature review; and illustrations of: the fog collection mechanism, a map showcasing existing projects and potential UFC locations, biomimetic inspirations, and large fog collector parks versus decentralised systems.