The need to account for sustainable development when it comes to energy is
crucial; the major energy sources in current use are unsustainable in that they harm the
environment and deplete resources for current generations and especially for future
ones. Significant amounts of energy can be saved if a technology used to accomplish a
given task is designed efficiently. Examples include the use of (i) passive building
design to meet the heating and cooling demands of buildings, and (ii) solar energy for
water heating, generating electricity, water desalination and cooking. Several case
studies, presented in this chapter, from different geographic locations show that several
technologies can be adopted to meet a certain energy use without scarifying the
environmental, social, cultural, and/or aesthetic standards.
Keywords: Arab world, BedZED, Brundtland report, Case studies, Falkenmark
index, Gaza, Hybrid ventilation, Masdar, MENA, Middle East, Passive, Solar
chimney, Solar dryers, Solar energy, Sustainable development, Technologies,
Thermal mass, Water desalination, Water scarcity, Zero energy.