ARUNIMA SEN
INDIA, 18
Project: Homestead Green
Basic Human Needs: Environment, Health, Shelter, Water
Arunima grew up in Bangalore, India, a densely populated city where water and electricity shortages are a common occurrence. She learned that beyond her community, urban buildings worldwide accounted for 31% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. This incredible demand for energy causes a high dependency on fossil fuels, leading to negative impacts on the environment and on the health of global citizens. In 2017, Arunima and five fellow participants in the United Technologies Future of Buildings and Cities Challenge worked together to develop a solution. The team, comprised of teens from Romania, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Norway, created Homestead Green – an environmentally responsible building design. Their innovation has the potential to revolutionize urban development, greatly reduce negative impacts on the environment and improve residents’ quality of life in cities around the world. Homestead Green employs solar energy, recycles water, purifies air quality and uses artificial intelligence to maximize the use of energy. Arunima’s team was awarded first place in the 2018 United Technologies Future of Buildings and Cities Challenge, as well as the 2019 Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar – India’s highest civilian honor for youth. Arunima believes that Homestead Green can lay the foundation for long-lasting impact in urban development, making strides towards an environmentally sustainable world.