03 January, 2021
The MEED Project Awards recognized the Hybrid MEDAD as the GCC winner of 
of the "Sustainability Medal 2020" for the project "An Innovative Hybrid
Solar Desalination Cycle." The awards reception and announcement of regional winners were held on December 16, 2020, in Dubai, UAE.
Prof. Kim Choon Ng and his team developed MEDAD in 2012, which combines adsorption desalination (AD) and multi-effect distillation (MED). The process boosts thermodynamic synergy between the two cycles, which yields significantly higher water production performance. The KAUST-based, solar-powered, and fully automated desalination pilot plant generates 8 to 10 m3 of desalinated water per day. The facility occupies a laboratory space of 200 m2.
"I am truly humbled and honored that MEDAD won four prestigious international awards in 2020", said Dr. Muhammad Wakil Shahzad, a former research scientist in Prof. Ng's group who remains an active collaborator of the MEDAD project.
The MEED Projects Awards is the event of the year for the GCC projects industry, providing an annual get together for the region's projects community. Projects were judged based on a range of criteria, including innovation, sustainability, social impact, design, construction, engineering, and health & safety. A panel of 40 independent judges facilitated the selection process.
Full list of winners: