Institute
About us
Integrating technology and economics in the field of water and sanitation
The Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management at the University of Witten/ Herdecke gGmbH (a non-profit registered company limited) integrates the academic fields of "technology" (engineering) and "economics" (management, finance) to form a trans- disciplinary field of science for practical application.
Applied research
As independent institute at the private University of Witten/Herdecke, our projects are solely funded by public and private sponsors. Therefore, IEEM's work outputs are clearly focused on practical application and are near to business.
Technologies and economics as pillars of our work are the basic essentials for the develop-ment of modern management concepts and organisational structures. Needed to design technical and institutional solutions in an optimal way, including cost-efficient implications, the aim of IEEM is to create and elaborate innovative technical and economic solutions, and to guide their implications, in order to allow sustainable water management and protection of water resources in the environment.
Projects with international scope
The focus of IEEM lies in the broad field of classical water and sanitation - with a close link to applied environmental economics. Projects of the institute's work today deal with specific aspects of wastewater disinfection, decentralised systems for water reclamation, with inte-grated process control of collection systems as well as overall strategies for water manage-ment using appropriate organisational models. Other projects deal with water efficiency, especially water loss reduction programmes, in research and capacity development.
The vast majority of our projects are international - located in the western industrial regions (Europe, Japan, USA), as well as in transformation and developing regions (in Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nicaragua, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, South Africa, Syria, Thailand, Ukraine, Vietnam, Yemen). In close collaboration with small and medium sized enterprises onsite, IEEM is developing and implementing projects like Franchise and other Private Sector Participation (PSP), methods to optimise process technologies with technical-economical evaluation, or for IWRM (Integrated Water Resources Management), always including economic aspects and financing options. Using the headline "High brain - Lean tech", IEEM is researching and developing bankable stage-by-stage development concepts for sewage treatment plants, water purification plants, and cost-civil constructions combined with high quality, long life equipment and machinery - to be realised by local companies in co-operation with international deliveries and service providers.
Studies in the area between economics and engineering
Assigned by various sponsors of research projects, like the EU, Federal Ministries, the Federal Environmental Protection Agency
or the German Federal Foundation for the Environment, IEEM is active for research and studies in water and sanitation.An example of outstanding importance has been the "Water Guideline" for the development of cost-efficient water and sanitation utilities (public and private), assigned by the German Federal Ministry of Economics. Another example has been the "International Survey on Alternative Water Systems" assigned by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, as well as the report "Documentation of the Water Sector in Germany", assigned by the German EPA and Federal Ministry of the Environment. Looking at management, a study assigned by the Federal Ministry of Research should be mentioned: "Instruments and Effects of Sustainable Water Policies", as well as a large number of cost-benefit analysis for water projects and programmes.
Contribution to professional organisations and expert working groups
Delegates of IEEM collaborate in important working groups especially in the sector of water and sanitation, such as the International Water Association (IWA), the German Association for Water and Wastewater (DWA), the Association of the German Water and Recycling Industry (BDE) and the Head Association of the German Industry (BDI).
Research and development work of the institute to reach cost-efficiency in water and sanitation has influenced the sector discussion in Germany since the late 1980s, especially regarding so-called "optimised public water utilities", and even more PSP (Private Sector Participation). Today, IEEM's work is strongly influencing the international discussion and development with newly developed, innovative models like the Water Franchise Concept, opening new doors for international collaboration schemes between small and large companies, and new approaches in financing.
Further informationen
IEEM Infoflyer (1 MB)
IEEM Infobrochure (5 MB)
