Students present innovative solutions for nine artificial islands

19.08.2019

Multiple ideas for how to realise a vision of make nine artificial islands into one of the most sustainable industrial areas of tomorrow have been presented by 34 engineering students at this year's summer job programme ‘COWI Try’.

This year’s innovation project for COWI Try students was Holmene, the Danish municipality of Hvidovre's vision for establishing a gigantic new industrial area consisting of nine artificial islands with space for 380 businesses.

Recently, after working on Holmene for six weeks, the students presented their proposals.

Gert Nelth, Hvidovre’s director for Culture, Environment and Growth says:

“It was most inspiring to hear the students’ thoughts and ideas. They had some really good suggestions for the islands – including a number of things we had not thought about ourselves. For example, the students came up with suggestions for how railways could be used to bring soil to Holmene, and how Holmene could be climate-proofed with an inflatable rubber barrier. Now we are looking forward to going through the students’ reports together with COWI, who are our technical consultants for the project,” says Nelth.

The Mayor of Hvidovre, Helle Adelborg, is pleased with the interest that the students have shown:

“It is impressive to see 34 students spending their summer looking in depth at Holmene. We really appreciate that, and it shows that we have embarked on a project here that has generated a lot of attention. I am sure we can draw inspiration from the students as we progress with the development of Holmene,” says Adelborg.

At COWI too, there is great enthusiasm about the students’ engagement in their work:

“Among other things, the students looked at how Holmene can supply 150,000 households with green energy, and how the coastline can both climate-proof the islands and Greater Copenhagen and also support biodiversity in the area. These are the fruits of the work presented to us today,” says Ulf Kjellerup, senior marketing manager in COWI’s Water and Environment division and project manager on the Holmene development.

The municipality of Hvidovre is now taking the next step in the work on Holmene. The authority is in discussions with potential investors who will combine to form a company to manage the work on Holmene when it gets going.

The expectation is that the work of establishing the nine artificial islands could start within 2-3 years.