On behalf of the Faculty of Management of the University of Lodz, the project was implemented by a team consisting of Dr hab. T. Bartosz Kalinowski, Associate Professor at the University of Lodz (project manager), Dr Agata Rudnicka and Dr Piotr Sosnowski.
The aim of the SMART-WaterDomain project was to develop solutions to support business representatives in the rational use of water resources. The value of the activities was the involvement of various stakeholder groups who, during dialogue sessions, had the opportunity to continuously report their needs regarding the water resources management system consistent with the assumptions of the circular economy. The results of the project are in line with the currently widely discussed ESG issues, especially the environmental dimension focused on water resources.
Pilot studies conducted in Germany, Poland and Japan made it possible to develop tools to support decisions and monitor data related to the climate situation and its possible impact on water resources. The developed solutions are dedicated to both the business sector and public administration. They serve the decision-making process that takes into account the possibilities of closing the cycle, cost-effective sourcing and sustainable use of resources. Awareness of the climate challenges affecting water resources is resulting in increasing pressure to seek ideas that reduce the demand for freshwater by implementing measures aimed at reusing industrial and agricultural wastewater in value chains.
The decision support tool organises the principles of water resources management. It enables the identification of gaps and identifies potential solutions to consider in the organisation's business processes and its value chain. It emphasises cooperation with stakeholders. It helps to establish a procedure for collecting data in the water area, to identify the current state and to establish directions for future interventions. The tool is accompanied by a collection of case studies showing ways to reduce the amount of water in business processes by limiting its consumption or reusing it thanks to modern technological solutions, effective planning processes or using post-production water for heating or cooling purposes. Transformation readiness also means redefining business models. The authors have prepared material to help implement circular economy principles in the business model.
The public sector is an important link in the effort to use water resources rationally. At the same time, it is responsible for creating a legal system to help develop activities to close the cycle. Understanding the value of water resources in an era of increasing environmental challenges seems to be the starting point for planning effective urban actions. Hence, the developed materials also include a guide for the public sector to help integrate resource management processes. It includes simple tips showing how to incorporate thinking about water resources into the planning process, setting goals, analysing opportunities, how to engage stakeholders, build relationships with the business sector and what to pay attention to in sustainable water resources management. The material takes you through the planning, implementation, checking and process improvement phases.
The results are available in English at the link: Projekt "Organisational Decision-Making in Water Reuse for Smart Cities (SMART-WaterDomain)" (Contract number: EIG CONCERT- Japan/2/2020)
Author: Dr Agata Rudnicka
Edit: Faculty of Management, University of Lodz