Preparations are underway at United Nations Headquarters for the Summit of the Future, where world leaders will come together in September "to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future."
Here at UNGSC, we have documented best practices to address some of the key themes of the Summit, based on our experience and that of our clients and partners worldwide.
In this series, "Serving the Future with UNGSC," we present excerpts from our 30th anniversary publication Of Service: Stories of Solutions and Impact 1994-2024, highlighting strategies to advance sustainable development, peace and security, science and technology, and other vital topics.
To begin, we focus on the "Solution Factory," a transformative initiative, as a paradigm and in practice!
The Solution Factory is both a physical space at UNGSC and a virtual think tank, where architects, engineers, and experts of different specializations work together to analyze clients’ operational needs and propose tailored solutions.
On the practical level, the Solution Factory benefits from UNGSC’s facilities, including a dedicated 10,000 square meter landmark building, as well as manufacturing capacities. Leveraging carpentry and metalwork skills, 3D printing, modular products that house all necessary IT infrastructure, among other resources, the Solution Factory can both test existing products for endurance to the rigors of the field, as well as design and build prototypes in-house, to bring even the most complex concepts to life.
An example of a new solution to be prototyped is the next generation smart containerized photovoltaic (PV) plant to power field missions with renewable energy. Driven by the need to reduce emissions of field operations, and support positive legacy in host countries, the containerized PV plant builds on an earlier iteration which was found to be too heavy and difficult to install.
The improved version is foldable and pre-wired in a single 20’ sea container, is designed to unfold on rails, enabling fast deployment, can be easily installed by a team of two, with no machinery or prerequisite skills required, and can be remotely monitored and controlled.
This environmentally friendly solution uses chemical-free salt batteries, facilitating safe disposal. Once assembled at the Solution Factory, field missions will be able to view the product first-hand prior to ordering.
Developed in partnership with the World Food Programme’s United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot, which is co-located at UNGSC’s Brindisi Base, the containerized PV plant it is also a model for collaboration.
This is just one example of an approach to "serve the future," by putting clients' needs at the center of our work and tapping expertise from across sectors and organizations to develop sustainable solutions!
Check out the full article "The Solution Factory: Where great ideas take shape and are tested for the field" on page 53 at, Of Service: Stories of Solutions and Impact 1994-2024
UN Photo / Luca Nestola
