Last week, Vienna became a hub for industrial sustainability as researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers convened for the iWAYS Symposium. Held at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) as part of the 11th International Conference on Materials Science & Smart Materials, the event showcased groundbreaking progress in recovering water and energy from industrial processes.
The symposium, chaired by Water Europe’s Andrea Rubini, demonstrated how European industry can transition towards a more circular and resource-efficient future. The afternoon featured inspiring keynotes from Prof. Luca Montorsi of the Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, who outlined the iWAYS project’s vision, and Prof. Hussam Jouhara of Brunel University London, who detailed practical pathways for industrial transformation.
The theory was grounded in practice with presentations on real-world demonstration cases in three critical sectors: ceramics (Atlas Concorde in Italy), chemicals (Alufluor AB in Sweden), and steel (TUBACEX in Spain). These examples provided tangible proof that recovering water, heat, and materials from industrial exhaust streams is not a future concept, but a present-day reality.
A major highlight of the event was the launch of the new iWAYS Policy Brief, which was a central topic during a dynamic panel discussion moderated by Prof. Jurgita Malinauskaite. The brief translates the project’s cutting-edge research into clear, actionable recommendations designed to accelerate Europe’s industrial water-smart transition.
The policy brief focuses on three crucial EU policy levers:
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Safeguarding Water Efficiency in Industrial Regulation: It calls for safeguarding and strengthening water-efficiency provisions within the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).
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Driving Industrial Water Reuse: It recommends expanding and harmonising industrial water reuse standards under a “Water-Efficiency First Principle” to create regulatory certainty and drive investment.
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Building the Business Case for a Water-Smart Industry: It identifies the upcoming Circular Economy Act as a key opportunity to promote closed-loop water systems and industrial symbiosis schemes, turning waste streams into value streams.
The symposium concluded with a clear message: by integrating innovative technologies with supportive policies, European industries can significantly reduce emissions, protect vital water resources, and unlock new economic value. Read the full iWAYS Policy Brief here.
