3 Research Project
Title
An evaluation of traditional approaches to water management in the Middle East and their applicability to contemporary development
Context
“Disappearing glaciers, increasing droughts and salt-water intrusion will greatly worsen our world’s current fresh water shortage. The IPCC estimates 3 billion or more additional people will be at risk of water shortage due to climate change. The Stockholm Environment Institute estimates that…63 percent of the global population will live in countries of significant water stress by 2025.”
Aims
The primary aim of the proposed study is to consider whether traditional principles for water management in and around buildings could be applied to contemporary development both in the Middle East (ME) and beyond. Key questions to be addressed include:
- What are these traditional techniques?
- Is there variation across the region and if so why?
- What are the benefits of this approach and are they quantifiable?
- What are the limitations and constraints of this approach?
- Can traditional and modern techniques be complementary?
