In Egypt, it is urgent to curb environmental pollution in all its forms. Eco-friendly villages are at the forefront of the green solutions adopted. Farès, in the governorate of Aswan, is the first of its kind. Intelligent and sustainable, it has no carbon emissions or polluting materials. It relies on electricity generated from solar energy and recycles water used in buildings and agricultural lands.
Egypt, a country with low greenhouse gas emissions, is one of the most threatened by the impacts of climate change. In the northern Delta and on the northern coast, the expected sea level rise and its related negative effects (erosion and deterioration of beaches, penetration of saltwater into groundwater) are leading to desertification and drought. The region also suffers from environmental degradation, impacted by the increase in agricultural productivity and livestock farming.
Finally, the rise in temperatures increases the degree of evaporation of the Nile and Lake Nasser. This creates significant pressure on Egyptian environmental and water resources.
Green and Smart Investments
The government's efforts, in partnership with the private sector, aim to reduce the negative environmental impact. Particularly energy consumption, water scarcity, waste production, and greenhouse gas emissions. After COP27, which was held in Egypt from November 6 to 20, 2022, the country launched the "Green Village" initiative. The goal: to rehabilitate a village, in compliance with the latest global environmental standards, in each governorate. Thus Farès, where nearly 17,000 people live, became the first green village of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Farès has become an example of a rural community meeting quality of life standards, without being exposed to carbon emissions or any other source of environmental pollution. Wastewater treatment plants equipped with a tertiary filtration system (a set of processes and technologies aimed at enabling purifiers to obtain very high-quality water, capable of meeting the strictest national and supranational regulations) as well as solar power plants have been established. It was also necessary to renew the water networks, illuminate the streets and main roads (thanks to 616 poles powered by solar energy and equipped with LED bulbs). This project has also increased green spaces and rehabilitated irrigation channels to adopt sustainable and resilient practices to address increasing water stress and preserve water resources.
These changes allow saving over 20,000 Egyptian pounds (375 euros) per month through the use of LED bulbs. This project, established in partnership with the Ministry of Planning, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Egyptian Post, has enabled, according to ministry figures, the implementation of no fewer than 35 projects in Farès at an estimated construction cost of 610 million pounds (11.43 million euros).
Turning to renewable energies
UN Ambassador for Climate Change, architect, and president of the company ECOnsult overseeing the construction of "Green Villages," Sara El Battouty confirms that the construction of 21 green villages in various Egyptian governorates is currently underway following the Farès model. "Green buildings address these points: promoting thermal inertia to limit temperature differences, utilizing renewable energies, and implementing natural ventilation. It is also important to consider window height in our designs to regulate the quantity and quality of natural lighting, in order to optimize energy use," she explains.
"All of this calls for a certain intelligence in green design and construction, whether the building is made of sandstone, limestone, or wood. In short, the building must be able to adapt to climate change, especially to floods, strong winds, and other extreme weather phenomena," she further explains.
Finally, Sara El Battouty emphasizes that the first villages in the world to receive the sustainable community certificates from the International Green Building Council are located in Egypt. Three green villages: Farès in Aswan, Nahtaï in Gharbia, and Shama in Menoufia have obtained these certificates.
In order for Egypt to address these environmental challenges in an economically viable and socially desirable manner, it must work effectively with civil society and its foreign partners. This requires transparency and inclusion in the design and implementation phases of environmental mitigation and adaptation strategies. The goal is to enhance resilience to climate change in the predominantly rural Egyptian economy, with ambitious targets of a 50% reduction in energy and water consumption per capita in villages.
Cover Photo: A renovated house in Farès@ DR