Monday, September 9, 2013

Individual Topical Review Paper Outline

Topic: Underwater Cities

Executive Summary
This paper seeks to understand the need for construction of underwater cities, the feasibility of such construction and the viability of adoption of this alternative underwater living method in the future with the aim of looking at this as an solution to worsening global warming levels. To explore these three issues, this paper will look at the purposes of underwater cities, the historical development of these cities and how they have come to the level that they are today. It will also argue the case for Singapore to have underwater living as an alternative to living above ground to deal with the future problem of global warming which is particularly dangerous for Singapore as we are an island. Lastly, it will examine the future considerations that we have to take into account if we eventually stay in underwater cities and how to target any problems that underwater cities may pose.

Why I chose this topic
I chose this topic because I was interested in looking at how underwater living could be an emergency solution for countries in low lying areas such as Holland and Venice.  With global warming and sea levels rising, there may be a significant need to learn how to adapt to living underwater which while may not be an idea that will be fully implemented across countries, it should be a emergency precaution used to help human populations to survive should global warming continue to worsen beyond repair.For Singapore in particular, it is an island surrounded by sea and I wondered if there was the possibility of adopting the alternative solution of living underwater.

Background
  1. What is an underwater city?
  2.  Why is there a need for underwater cities?
  3. Other purposes that underwater cities have been used for.


Historical perspective
  1.  The famous underwater cities in the world that have been built and are successfully hosting human inhabitants.
  2. How these underwater cities effective were they in serving their purpose which can be applied to the future development of such cities and what limitations they faced which should be avoided or targeted.
  3.  How we have moved from underwater transport (submarines) to underwater living.
  4. How technological development has helped people to refine the development of the infrastructure of underwater cities and target any problems that there might be.


Current situation
  1.  Prevalence of underwater cities
  2. Observations about the distribution of underwater cities both where they are constructed and where they are being located.
  3. Reasons behind the increase in number of underwater cities.
  4. Whether Singapore can have its own underwater city

Future Considerations
  1.  Advantages and disadvantages of such underwater cities
§  Advantages
·         Do not need to reclaim land
·         Alternative form of sustainable living in a country that faces space constraints
·         New form of tourism for the wealthy and the introduction of more extreme deep sea sports making for better recreational activities.
·         May be used as a form of emergency evacuation strategy or an alternative way of living should the environmental problems above ground become too inhabitable for humans

§  Disadvantages
·         Lack of sunlight which is necessary for human health
·         Higher cost of living under water. This may later become the preserve of the rich and the poor would have no choice but to live above ground and suffer from the increasing levels of pollution
·         Inability of certain types of people to stay in such accommodation such as the disabled and the elderly until better and more convenient methods of deep sea transportation are constructed
·         Ability of criminals capitalize on vulnerabilities such as there being only one source  of food, water or air, they could attack that in acts of terrorism.
·         Possible inconsistency of pressurization. If the pressure of the underwater city is not maintained at a constant level, 1 atm, the level of Earth’s atmospheric pressure, people may suffer from deep sea sickness. Also if it is not constant with the water pressure of the water body, then the whole structure could be crushed by the external pressure of the sea.
·         Risk of natural disasters such as that of floods and tsunamis.
In 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami destroyed many houses near the shore. If a tsunami of similar magnitude occurs, the underwater homes would be beached and crushed with the force of the wave washing it upon the shore.
  1. Evaluation of the feasibility of these cities especially in the Singapore context
Possible
Ø  The government is the one that controls the use of the sea
Ø  Singapore is also a research and development hub and we are likely to have the technological know-how or be able to develop it such that underwater living is achievable. Already, the Hilton Maldives Undersea Restaurant on Rangali Island was built entirely offsite in Singapore.

Not Possible
Ø  Territorial considerations may be raised as each country is allowed ownership over 200 nautical miles from its shores. In countries that share the same water body such as the River Mekong that crosses six countries including China and Vietnam, this could lead to territorial disputes.
Ø  There is a limited amount of underwater space
Ø  Provision and distribution of food and water
Ø  Sources of electricity and energy.
Ø  Removal of human waste
Ø  Environmental and ecological impact especially on the marine life
Ø  Increase the likelihood of natural disasters of the sea and the ocean
Ø  High cost of construction
Ø  Government and government agencies coordination over the usage of the underwater space

3.       Suggested prototype for an underwater city in Singapore
  1. Assessment of what can be done to improve the infrastructure such that underwater cities can be viable in Singapore.

Conclusion
Overall assessment of the viability and adoption of underwater cities.

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