Enhancing Walking Culture in Egyptian Cities as an Approach to Energy Harvesting

It has become possible to generate clean energy based on the physical effort of individuals, whether during the use of sports equipment or by converting kinetic energy (walking steps) into electricity instead of it being wasted effort. The World Health Organization’s recommendation to walk for at least half an hour daily helps to enhance public health. Therefore, the research proposes dedicating pathways within cities built with energy-generating technology from pedestrian movement and organizing regular walking races to help produce more electrical energy. This would provide part of the urban environment’s electricity needs, reduce the carbon footprint, and enhance public health. The research methodology relies on a theoretical study that reviews the concept of kinetic flooring, supported by practical examples of global race projects that used kinetic flooring technology to meet the race’s energy needs and raise public awareness of sustainability issues. It includes a computational review to measure the effectiveness of the application by creating a virtual scenario of a 2-kilometer-long corniche path and estimating the number of participants required to provide the energy needed to light the path at night. It also explains the benefits of kinetic flooring for the state and society and proposes solutions to the challenges that may face the application of kinetic flooring in Egyptian cities. The research concluded that the application could be effective if safe and prepared pedestrian paths are provided, and individuals are incentivized to walk to produce energy in exchange for financial incentives or privileges.