Competition calls for proposals to embed panels in tourist infrastructure on climate-vulnerable islands
Students have been invited to submit proposals for integrating climate-resilient solar panels in small island states as part of a competition launched in collaboration with RIBA.
The International Solar Alliance (ISA), in collaboration with the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), is asking for ideas around how solar energy can be embedded directly into the architecture of tourism infrastructure of islands which are vulnerable to climate change.
The ISA-iSUN Design Challenge is seeking solutions from architecture and engineering students that reimagine the built environment in both real and imagined sites in Fiji, the Maldives and Mauritius.
These small islands are among the regions most vulnerable to rising sea levels, extreme weather events and energy insecurity.
The Maldives is commonly described as among the most vulnerable states in the world to climate change, with almost three quarters of the country less than 1.5m above sea level.
While Fiji and Mauritius have mountainous interiors, most of the countries’ tourist infrastructure is located on low-lying coastal areas vulnerable to rising sea levels and extreme weather.
The competition brief is asking for scalable, replicable models where solar energy is embedded in the architecture rather than being simply added on.
The strongest ideas are intended to shape a compendium of adaptable strategies for island communities on the frontlines of climate change.
The deadline for submission of designs is midnight on 31 October 2026.
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