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Volume 7, Issue 4 (Suppl)
Int J Waste Resour
ISSN: 2252-5211 IJWR, an open access journal
Waste Management Convention 2017
September 11-12, 2017
Page 14
Notes:
conference
series
.com
September 11- 12, 2017 Singapore
5
th
World Convention on
Recycling and Waste Management
Study on the potential of onsite generation of electricity fromdischarged urine in high-rise residential buildings
T
his project explores the potential for producing electricity from discharged urine in the daily operation of high-rise
residential buildings. The majority of the population in metropolitan cities lives in high-rise residential buildings. High-
rise buildings consume large amounts of energy in daily operation and release considerable amounts of waste including human
urine into the environment. Untreated urine contains polluting organic compounds and requires energy-consuming treatment
prior to discharge into waterways. Hydrogen, which is a clean source of energy, is considered by scientists as a promising fuel
for future. Hydrogen and urea are produced in electrolysis of urine. The generated hydrogen gas can be utilized to generate
electricity for building operations. Ohio University in the USA has developed Ammonia GreenBox®, which can extract
hydrogen gas directly from urine by electrochemical oxidation using an economical catalyst. Electricity is produced from the
electrolysis of hydrogen gas in a hydrogen fuel cell. The simple and convenient hydrogen extraction process is suitable to be
applied in high-rise developments. Production of electricity from urine can reduce power supply from the grid system and
subsequently reduce building management cost.
Biography
Ann T W Yu has a BSc degree in Building from University of Brighton, UK and MSc degree in Construction Management from City University of Hong Kong. She
has obtained her PhD from the Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2007. She has started her profession as an
Assistant Architect and worked for a number of different professional firms including architectural firms, quantity surveying practice as well as the Hong Kong
Housing Authority. She was appointed as an Assistant Professor in Value Management and Construction Management by the Department of Building and Real
Estate of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2007. She has a strong track record and has published extensively on the broad theme of project management
in leading construction management journals and international conference proceedings.
bsannyu@polyu.edu.hkAnn T W Yu
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Ann T W Yu, Int J Waste Resour 2017, 7:4 (Suppl)
DOI: 10.4172/2252-5211-C1-007