Knowledge Exchange

In addition to research, UWTC coordinates postgraduate teaching and knowledge transfer activities.

We achieve this through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), short courses/training and consultancy services to a broad range of organisations.

Our activities include the following themes:

SUDS adoption and long term management
Small and decentralised wastewater treatment systems design and operation
Constructed wetland systems for wastewater treatment
Air pollution control in waste-to-energy plants
Landfill decay modelling and risk assessment
Anaerobic digestion of brewery and distillery wastewaters

Our clients include:

Water utilities
National and international environmental regulatory bodies
National and Local Government agencies
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
A wide range of national and international private sector organisations

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Examples of our work

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Investigate the cause of, and identify methods to reduce CO emissions from a municipal waste incineration plant. Funded by Dundee Energy Recycling Ltd (DERL), Dundee City Council.
Inspection and monitoring of Highway SUDS. Funded by Bear Scotland.
Validation of a filtering system for starch. Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project, Technology Strategy Board and Ivan Wood & Sons Ltd.
Scottish Biofuel Project [2012-2015] European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Project involving a consortium made up of Edinburgh Napier University, University of Abertay Dundee, University of Edinburgh, Scottish Agricultural College, and The Scottish Association of Marine Sciences (University of the Highlands and Islands), Oban.
Waste Water Treatment Works Asset Management - Dundee, Fort William, Moray Coast and Inverness. Funded by Catchment Tay Ltd / Veolia Water.
Surface Water Management Strategy. Costing and Benefits Budgeting Tool in collaboration with MWH Global to support DCWWs PR14 submission to OFWAT. Funded by Dwr Cymru Welsh Water.
Clean technologies for management of organic residuals. Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project with Diageo Plc.
Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Scottish Water to transfer knowledge for SUDS adoption, inspection, long-term management, financial mechanisms and policy/guidance development for Sewers for Scotland 2nd Edition.
Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Greenbelt Group to transfer knowledge for SUDS adoption, inspection and long-term management, development of financial mechanisms and data capture techniques.

LoCal-Net

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The Low Carbon Land Use Innovation Network (LoCal-Net) project works to stimulate R&D and innovation in low carbon technologies, products and services in key sectors across Scotland with a specific focus on SMEs. The aim of the project is to facilitate a key area of identified need: coordination of R&D and innovation in low carbon activities across Scotland.

The transition to a low carbon economy will require action across all business sectors, including those that have not traditionally been involved in R&D or innovation activities. Increasing low carbon innovation within SMEs will require addressing low levels of R&D while providing links between businesses and Scotland's research base.

Please visit LoCal-Net website.

National BioFuels

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The Scottish Biofuel Programme - Linking Scottish Business with Expertise in Biofuels

The Scottish Biofuel Programme (SBP) provides a wide range of expertise, engaging directly with small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Scottish business sector, facilitating the conversion of biomass waste to energy; test and implement conversion of biomass waste to energy and the production of sustainable biofuels.

The Programme supports projects investigating diverse waste streams, and their conversion into biofuels. Specifically, it offers expertise on biomass conversion to energy by anaerobic digestion, as well as conversion to biobutanol, bioethanol or biochar. Feedstock analysis, carbon accounting, and opportunities afforded by cultivation of algae in waste streams are also part of the Programme. The SBP will work with you to tailor a solution specific to your needs. Based on your business by-product or waste, the Programme will identify the right biofuel channel for you.

What we do for businesses:
The Scottish Biofuel Programme benefits companies by providing:

Analysis of waste streams, and identification of potential commercial opportunities.
Highlighting of financial and environmental gains.
Tailored advice on current legislation around biofuels and energy from waste.
Access to a £70k per year Development Fund.

The Scottish Biofuel Programme is a partnership: University of Abertay Dundee, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh University, The Scottish Agricultural College and Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS). The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise.

iAge

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iAge is an international cooperation project focusing on the improvement of regional development in areas of decline affected by an ageing population.

Please visit iAge website.

SUDSnet

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SUDSnet was established by an EPSRC Network Grant and is coordinated jointly by the Urban Water Technology Centre (UWTC) at the University of Abertay Dundee and by Coventry University. SUDSnet provides a UK-wide network for researchers, practitioners, agencies, developers and all those who are interested in Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems.

Please visit SUDSnet website

Contact SUDSnet at sudsnet@abertay.ac.uk

SAVE Technologies

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Drawing on the engineering and sustainability knowledge provided by the UWTC group coupled with the complex systems modelling and visualisation work by the SIMBIOS Centre.

SAVE aims to aid decision making processes by

Understanding decisions and institutional influences,
Understanding behaviour change triggers,
Showing the future possible consequences of current behavious through the use of visualisation and mathematical modeling,
Using novel software and hardware to enhance and expand stakeholder engagement in real world problems.

Please visit SAVE Technologies website

Consultancy

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Staff based within the Urban Water Technology Centre are involved in various consultancy projects including;

Long term management of sustainable drainage systems - UWTC is recognised as one of the key providers of SUDS management and review services within the UK. We provide consultancy and collaborative services for a number of public and private organisations who own and maintain a range of SUDS servicing highways, residential, commercial and industrial areas. Working in close partnership with design and operational staff UWTC ensures effective implementation of SUDS and efficient maintenance regimes to deliver fit for purpose SUDS.

Our services include the assessment of SUDS performance and operation, water and sediment quality monitoring, budgeting procedures and delivery of training for technical and maintenance staff. Recent consultancy funders include: BEAR Scotland, Greenbelt Group Ltd, McDermott Contract Service Ltd, MWH Global, Ross & Liddell Ltd, Scottish Water, Welsh Water, UK Local Authorities.

Hydromorphological and fluvial geomorphology advice and consultancy for projects involving engineering works on river systems, or close to freshwater environments. Previous consultancies have been prompted by recommendation by SEPA and word-of-mouth.

Urban Ecosystem Services assessments, providing assessments of the multiple benefits and trade-offs associated with natural spaces (green and blue spaces) in urban settings.

We have successfully completed three Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) with Scottish Water and Greenbelt Group Ltd, which embedded SUDS experts knowledgeable in the areas of technical performance inspections, budgeting for long-term management, policy development and adoption procedures. We also have an ongoing KTP with Diageo PLC looking at clean technologies for the management of organic residuals.

The following services are offered to industry:

Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) assays
Feedstock analysis and pre-treatment
Reactor and pilot scale trials
Process development, design and modelling
Process monitoring and optimisation
Operational analysis
Expert advice and training

Examples of projects include:

Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) Urban Diffuse Pollution Control - Scottish Government funded project investigating urban diffuse pollution control in Scotland and mitigation. The project will support the Scottish Government in developing policy related to improving sustainability of integrated surface water management in urban environments.

Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) Implementation of Source Control for SUDS in Scotland - Scottish Government funded project to investigate and provide recommendations for the challenges to implementation, construction, adoption and regulation of source control techniques in Scotland.

East Coast Renewables Framework Project - Providing conference support to East of Scotland Local Authorities designed to encourage business start-ups and existing companies within these areas to diversify into renewable energy technologies. Participating companies have been assisted in the design and provision of marketing materials to allow them to promote their renewable expertise or services when exhibiting at industry focused events and seminars. UWTC has also been assisting East Coast Renewables with mapping of significant renewable energy developments, and electric transport plans on the east coast of Scotland.

E2STORMED Improvement of Energy Efficiency in the Water Cycle by the use of Innovative Stormwater Management in Smart Mediterranean Cities - An EU funded MED Programme investigating and implementing energy efficiencies in the urban water cycle and in buildings by promoting the use of innovative stormwater solutions such as Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in Mediterranean citites.

Albion Environmental Ltd - This study involved undertaking analysis of the gases that are emitted from a small scale anaerobic digestion unit. This unit is designed to process food waste from hotels and rural businesses that do not have access to a Local Authority segregated food waste uplift. This study built upon the experience of collaborating with a vegetable packaging business that was investigating the viability of co-digesting waste agricultural feedstocks to reduce their environmental impacts.

Riverside Landfill - This study involved the development of novel and effective strategies for assessing and predicting methane generation from a closed municipal landfill. It also involved assessment of risks posed by landfill sites for various site re-use options. The outcome of the study informed stakeholders of the cost/nature of interventions necessary to rehabilitate the landfill site, leading to the transformation of the site into a 35 hectare nature park (Dundee Riverside Nature Park) with views over the Tay.

Industrial Wastewater Treatment - Pilot testing of the Granular Bed Baffled Reactor (GRABBR) anaerobic wastewater treatment technology to improve the quality of wastewater from the brewing process at Tennent's Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow.