Related EU Projects

The project successfully presented solutions for addressing the runoff from drained areas that previously caused environmental damage by discharging pollutants and by the physical impact of higher flows. The project’s six SUDS demonstration sites in Xativa and Benaguasil, where these solutions were applied, showcased for southern European regions the development of a sustainable drainage culture. A key project output was providing demonstrated protocols for new and sustainable storm water management at the urban scale in Mediterranean municipalities.

The project demonstrated the value of SUDS in reducing electricity consumption, and therefore CO2 emissions, through urban water management and on buildings (e.g. green roofs). Water and wastewater facilities are some of largest and most energy-intensive installations owned and operated by local governments, representing up to 35% of municipal energy use. SUDS can reduce energy consumption by, for instance, reducing the inflow of storm water into sewer systems and hence the energy consumed in the treatment and pumping of wastewater; reducing local “heat islands” through shading of building surfaces to lessen cooling and heating demand; and saving on the use of drinking water by using rainwater for irrigation and street cleaning.

Importantly, the AQUAVAL project led to the SUDS approach being explicitly supported by regional policy, in particular, the regional flooding legislation PATRICOVA (November 2013). The regulation states that, in regards of storm water management: “The use of SUDS will be promoted in all municipalities within the Region of Valencia”.

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showFile&rep=file&fil=AQUAVAL_Factsheet_EN.pdf

The purpose of this study, commissioned by Environment Australia, was to examine the potential for, and impacts of, introducing a national mandatory water efficiency labelling (WEL) scheme and minimum water efficiency standards (WES) for appliances, fixtures and fittings as a method of reducing urban water consumption. One example of such a scheme is the National Appliance and Equipment Energy Efficiency Program (NAEEEP) where labelling and water performance requirements are specified in relevant Australian Standards, given effect by regulation and managed by government agencies.

The regulatory framework for implementation was outside the scope of this study. However, the study’s conclusions are based on the assumption that whatever framework is adopted, it would be no less effective in enforcing minimum product performance standards and mandatory labelling at the point of sale, than is the current State-based framework for energy labelling and standards.

The study suggested that mandatory labelling for water efficient products should be applied to shower heads, toilet suites (i.e. cisterns) and washing machines as the potential water savings are high, therefore being the most cost-effective. It was noted that water efficiency labelling was the most cost-effective for shower heads and washing machines. The study also recommends that mandatory labelling will also be introduced for dishwashers as their water consumption is rising, even though the potential water savings are lower.

George Wilkenfeld and Associates Pty Ltd (2003). A Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme for Australia. [online] Available at:

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.472.1367&rep=rep1&type=pdf [Accessed 29 Jan. 2018].

This paper developed a methodology for the selection, sitting and pre-dimensioning of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS). A GIS-based methodology, that requires vector and raster data (i.e. orthophoto, Digital Elevation Model, water table depth, infiltration rate) to delineate watersheds and identify suitable sites for implementing SUDS, was further refined by involving local stakeholder knowledge. Daily rainfall precipitation historical data was used for pre-dimensioning. A lexicographic multi-objective optimisation model was implemented to maximise and/or minimise a set of objective functions: (i) maximisation of the use of runoff water for irrigation purposes, (ii) maximisation of the use of SUDS storage capacity, (iii) minimisation of construction and maintenance costs and, (iv) minimisation of runoff volumes. The methodology was applied to the Universidad de los Andes campus and the obtained results showed that potable water consumption for irrigation purposes can be reduced up to 77% by implementing a total area of 0.15 ha of SUDS. The optimal solution for a subset of feasible sites resulted in 6 SUDS sites using storm water tree pits and permeable pavements.

Andrés Felipe Muñoz, A., Torres, M., Fontecha Garcia, J., Rodríguez Sánchez, J. and Zhu, Z. (2017). A methodology for optimal sitting of sustainable urban drainage system. Case study: Universidad de los Andes. In: International Conference on Urban Drainage. [online] Prague, Czech Republic. Available at:

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[Accessed 12 Feb. 2018].

This research project aimed to determine the heating and cooling potential of aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) systems in the Mediterranean climatic zone. The project was carried out in greenhouses at the Cukurova University, Adana, during 2005-2006. For this purpose, two plastic greenhouses, each having an area of 360 m², were used. One of them was heated and cooled by an ATES system. In the second one, conventional heating and cooling systems were used. The inside and outside temperatures of the greenhouses, as well as ground water and exchanger water temperatures were recorded throughout the experimental period. Tomato crop was grown in both greenhouses and plant growth and fruit yield were measured. Energy costs of the greenhouses (fuel oil for the conventionally heated greenhouse and electricity for the ATES system) were also calculated. Consequently, these two systems were technically and economically compared.

The collected data showed that ATES systems have good potential for climatisation, both for heating and cooling, of greenhouses in the Mediterranean climatic zone. Between October 20^th and April 10^th, the inside temperature of the ATES system heated greenhouse was never below critical level (120 ℃) and thanks to this performance, the ATES greenhouse never used any fuel oil. On the other hand, temperature fluctuations in the ATES greenhouse were less than the conventionally heated one. The energy cost saving with ATES for heating was about 70% in comparison with the conventionally heated (with fuel-oil) greenhouse. With respect to tomato yield, the greenhouse that was heated by the ATES system resulted in approximately 20% more yield than that in the conventionally climatised one.

Turgut, B., Dasgan, H., Abak, K., Paksoy, H., Evliya, H. and Bozdag, S. (2009). AQUIFER THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE APPLICATION IN GREENHOUSE CLIMATIZATION. Acta Horticulturae, (807), pp.143-148.

New ED aims at closing industrial water cycles and reducing the amount of waste water streams with highly concentrated salt loads stemming from a broad range of industrial production processes by exploiting the waste components (salts) and transforming them to valuable products. This will be achieved by developing new nanoporous bipolar membranes for electrodialysis using bipolar membranes (EDBM), a new membrane module concept and by integrating this new technology into relevant production processes.

The bipolar membrane process produces acids and bases from their corresponding salts by dissociating water at the interface within the bipolar membranes. However, EDBM so far has been applied only in niche markets due to limitations of the current state of membrane and process development. Major drawbacks of the classic EDBM process are low product purity, limited current density and formation of metal hydroxides at or in the bipolar membrane. The objective of this project is to overcome these limitations by developing a new bipolar membrane and membrane module with a new water transport concept into the inner layer of the bipolar membranes.

Several promising membrane configurations will be developed and tested. New module concepts will be investigated to exploit the full potential of the new bipolar membrane technique. Integration of the developed membranes and modules into relevant production processes is an essential part of the project.

The strategic aim of New ED is inline with the vision document and strategic research agenda put forward in 2006 by WSSTP (Water Supply and Sanitation Technology Platform) on a European level that specifically asks for recovery of materials from brines, treatment of brines from specific processes and development of technologies for treatment of concentrated salt streams.

A "Critical review and assessment on the preparation of experimental as well as commercially available bipolar membranes" has been prepared and will be made available through scientific publications. The executive summary summarizes the extent of the review. http://www.new-ed.eu/uploads/media/NEW_ED_Deliverable_D.1.1_executive_summary.pdf

A "Market study of potential applications for the developed technologies and products" has been prepared and will be made available through scientific publications. The executive summary summarizes the extent of the review. http://www.new-ed.eu/uploads/media/NEW_ED_Deliverable_D.4.1_executive_summary.pdf

This deliverable is a final report of preparation and characterization of structured interfaces in bipolar electrodialysis membranes for enhanced water-splitting productivity. Here the four manufacturing approaches followed within the project were compared and contrasted.

This deliverable is part of WP2 of the project, which dealt with module design and module construction. Here reduction of parasitic current along with design and manufacturing of resistant spacers is reported. CFD computations as well as electrical circuit simulations were performed to help decide upon the most appropriate spacer design. In addition, limiting current density experiments were carried out to evaluate the manufactured spacers.

The report deals with the possibilities of the treatment of large ecologically relevant process and wastewater streams by bipolar electrodialysis systems developed within the New ED project. Here results from a lab-scale study applying the new bipolar membrane concept are presented. The case-study was conducted on the process water of the project partner Bayer Material Science. Bayer process water contains significant amount of sodium chloride which is emitted at the end of the polycarbonate production line.

In the final project report, the executive summary summarizes the extent of the report. http://www.new-ed.eu/uploads/media/New-ED_final-project-report_executive_summary.pdf

The Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative, now called Copernicus, provides valuable climate and weather information to various end users, including academia and business. One of these services, namely wind and wave forecasting, can be improved by integrating ocean wave data and by linking atmosphere and ocean models. Funded by the EU, the MYWAVE (A pan-European concerted and integrated approach to operational wave modelling and forecasting - a complement to GMES MYOCEAN services) project aimed to complete the groundwork needed to establish new GMES products that will offer users a more complete picture of the world's oceans.

Research was geared towards improving wind and water data handling and improving the physics of current wave models. It also produced new and more accurate wave forecasts using earth observations and defined standard methods for ocean wave modelling. Various local-area models were coupled to provide more accurate wind-wave interactions and incorporated better physical modelling of water on the ocean surface. Several new sources of data also contributed to the model, including satellite radar data and ocean wind data. Researchers also improved data assimilation through the use of neural networks and these sources used to cross-validate and remove errors in the model. Project partners focussed on implementing a fully assembled forecasting tool that employs the data and algorithms produced. The tool will reduce uncertainty in global system models and pave the way for the inclusion of ocean waves into GMES services. In addition, MYWAVE proposed a verification system to accompany delivery of wave forecasts via a Marine Core Service. It set out working procedures, data formats and governances that are compatible with the existing MYOCEAN verification system that will transfer into the Copernicus programme. The project provided improved wave models which were made available for assessment by national meteorological services and integration into operational services provided to European users. As the well as the intrinsic value of accurate wave forecasts for industry and local authorities MYWAVE will also have significant scientific benefits.

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Ports are coming under increasing pressure to manage their operations in an environmentally sustainable manner. This pressure comes from legal requirements, national agencies, planning inquiries and local activists (Wooldridge et al 1999). Ports have tended to react to such demands by making environmental policies and audits, always playing catch-up to the latest problem. An alternative approach is to be pro-active in seeking out environmental concerns at an early stage, assessing the scientific evidence of harm in the context of the specific port, and taking mitigating action according to the evidence. This is the basis of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership between the University of Plymouth and Falmouth Harbour Commissioners (FHC), who run a small trust port in South West England. The Port of Falmouth enjoys over thirty cruise calls a year. Smaller cruise liners can berth within the docks, but larger ships must anchor in Falmouth Bay, a Marine Special Area of Conservation, and tender their passengers ashore. Anchoring directly affects the benthic habitat through smothering, abrasion and disturbance. The noise and visual intrusion of vessels create an indirect impact. Studies into anchoring activities in fragile habitats such as eelgrass beds have led to the strict management of anchoring (Milazzo et al 2002). Falmouth Bay has a rare dead maerl habitat. This paper presents the on-going study, which is assessing the potential environmental impacts of anchoring in the Falmouth bay area. The steps include synthesising existing data on the nature of the seabed, recording actual anchor locations within the bay to identify areas of high anchoring density and identifying the threat that anchoring poses to the species in the maerl habitat. It is know that there are bivalves that live below the surface, so comparative core samples will be air lifted from high and low anchoring density areas.

Ebook: https://books.google.com.mt/books?hl=en&lr=&id=3XZr_gMA1F0C&oi=fnd&pg=PA93&ots=iS95HHHPbI&sig=TgjC8dderiihEHlL-JAxF1rzhgo&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false    or   https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-8349-6871-5_6

The project 'Adaptive strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on European freshwater ecosystems' (REFRESH) had three overarching goals. The first was to increase understanding of how freshwater ecosystems will respond to changes caused by climate, land use, water use and pollution over the next 50-60 years. Additional goals involved translating this knowledge into a form that can be used by water managers and ensuring the uptake of results by target stakeholders.

Consortium members focused on three principal climate-related and interacting pressures: increasing temperature, changes in water levels and flow regimes, and excess nutrients. The work was conducted primarily in lowland rivers, lakes and wetlands as they often pose the greatest challenges in complying with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and Habitats Directive.

Studies of streams provided a basis for applying knowledge on the effects of climate change and land-use change on the structure, functioning and biodiversity in rivers. They also provided insights into the effectiveness of adaption and mitigation methods to restore rivers.

Scientists found that shading beside streams can help offset the impact of increased temperature and influence stream biodiversity. Increased winter flooding was found to have a longer-term effect on river vegetation. A new method was also devised for calculating net primary production from midday oxygen saturation.

Stagnation and drought experiments provided insights into the role of low flow and drought in rivers and potential losses to the ecosystem. The experiments provided thresholds for low flow and drought in Atlantic lowland rivers. River flow and oxygen appeared vital for rivers and affect the functioning of the ecosystem.

Good oxygen regimes and healthy flow conditions help ensure the objectives of the EU's WFD and Habitats Directive are met. Therefore, specific adaptive measures were evaluated and used to minimise the expected adverse effects of climate change on freshwater quantity, quality and biodiversity.

The work carried out by REFRESH will improve understanding of freshwater ecosystems. This will enable them to be restored to good ecological health, support key species and mitigate the effects of climate variation. REFRESH will therefore help safeguard Europe's freshwater ecosystems from the impacts of climate change.

Project final report: https://cordis.europa.eu/docs/results/244/244121/final1-refresh-final-report-m1-m48.pdf

Refresh publications (136 papers): http://www.refresh.ucl.ac.uk/biblio

Refresh deliverables: http://www.refresh.ucl.ac.uk/DeliverablesTable