Science

Scientific study and symposium on water 4.0

To promote and sustainably implement digitalization in the water industry, the Wilo-Foundation supported the scientific study "SmaDiWa" conducted by the Institute for Sustainable Water Systems (inwa) at the Hof University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hof).

Europe

Germany

Hof

Funding period: 2017-2018

In the project study "Smart Digital Transformation in the Water Industry" (SmaDiWa), funded by the Wilo-Foundation and conducted by the then Institute for Water and Energy Management (iwe) at Hof University (renamed in 2023 to the Institute for Sustainable Water Systems, or inwa), engineers and market researchers worked together with industry representatives to examine and research the current state of digitalization in the water industry. The goal was to systematically advance digitalization for the benefit of water management and ensure its long-term implementation. In addition, potential research and development projects were to be identified and initiated. The findings were presented to professionals and the interested public at the 1st Hof Water Symposium in April 2018 at Hof University.

In the presence of the foundation board, scientists, industry stakeholders, and interested parties jointly discussed the development of digitalization in the water industry at the 1st Hof Water Symposium on April 17, 2018. Photo: Hof University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hof)

The Wilo-Foundation was one of the main sponsors of the project study, which was pioneering for the "WaterExe4.0" project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Researchers from the Institute for Water and Energy Management (iwe) at HAW Hof identified key success factors for the effective implementation and transfer of digitalization initiatives in the water industry. In a meta-study on the state of science, available market products and solutions, and already implemented digitalization projects, a targeted overview of the research and innovation landscape as well as best practices in German-speaking countries was compiled. The results of previous projects, including the project study "Smart Digitalization of the Water Industry" (SmaDiWa), formed an important basis for these investigations.

Photo Header: Hof University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hof)

Unser Förderpartner

Teaching and research at the Hof University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hof) are based on the pillars of practical orientation, internationalization, and intelligent resource use. The Institute for Water and Energy Management (iwe) was transferred in 2023 to the Institute for Sustainable Water Systems (inwa). Inwa focuses on applied research and development in the key areas of sponge city concepts, photonics, and food production. In addition, sustainability and digitalization are increasingly coming to the fore as distinct research topics. The transfer of research results into practice is also becoming increasingly important. In the field of international cooperation, the university places a particular emphasis on collaboration with India.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) forms the global framework for action for socially, economically and ecologically sustainable development. Our funding commitment also supports these sustainability goals. With this project, we are making a contribution to achieving the following SDGs:

What are the SDGs?