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Research Unit

Coupled Infrastructures

Technical infrastructures are indispensable for the provision of public services while also playing a key role in climate adaptation. In the face of increasing climate extremes and resource scarcity, these infrastructures are facing profound challenges that endanger their functionality. And here, simple adjustments are not sufficient but fundamental transformations of the various infrastructure systems are needed.

In the Research Unit “Coupled Infrastructures, we develop sustainable systems for a circular society with a focus on resource efficiency, reuse and equitable use. We explore how infrastructures promote circularity and shaping scenarios for social and ecological transformations.

Our research focuses on two research strands:

Social-ecological innovation and transformation management

The transformation of infrastructure systems requires changes in technology, knowledge, cooperation and management. We explore how social-ecological transformation management can open up sustainable development paths for infrastructures. Here, we focus on two essential aspects: How can existing path dependencies be overcome and how can social-ecological innovations be applied on a broader scale? Using transdisciplinary methods, we also investigate how social-ecological transformation management can be improved and what role piloting innovations can play in this context.

Coupling infrastructure systems for circular societies

Complex, synchronized transformation processes are necessary to couple different infrastructure systems. In our research we investigate how these co-transformations of coupled infrastructure systems can succeed and we address the question of what barriers must be overcome and how cooperation between actors from different infrastructures can be fostered? To enable just and effective contributions to a circular society, we explore synergies, solutions for the emergence of conflicting goals and societal embedding. We develop transformation pathways and objectives across sectoral boundaries and investigate how user practices are related to the decisions of infrastructure operators.

Contact

Team

Projects

  • WaReNam – Water reuse strategy for Namibia
    Water

    WaReNam – Water reuse strategy for Namibia

    Um Rahmenbedingungen für die Umsetzung von Wasserwiederverwendung zu schaffen, integriert das Projekt WaReNam innovative Technologien, Wissenstransfers, adaptive Governance und Kapazitätsentwicklung auf verschiedenen Ebenen.

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  • LiveSewer – AI-based wastewater monitoring
    Water

    LiveSewer – AI-based wastewater monitoring

    In the research project LiveSewer, real-time wastewater data are processed and analyzed using AI-supported pattern recognition (machine learning). 

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  • TRAPA India – Transition pathways for solving urban wastewater problems in Indian cities
    Chemical Risks Water

    TRAPA India – Transition pathways for solving urban wastewater problems in Indian cities

    The aim of the BMBF project is to develop and evaluate resource-efficient wastewater concepts. ISOE is responsible for a fundamental institutional and stakeholder analysis, the sustainability assessment from a socio-ecological perspective and a final transfer potential analysis.

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  • PlastX – Microplastics in bodies of running water
    Water Chemical Risks

    PlastX – Microplastics in bodies of running water

    In the sub-project of the PlastX junior research group, a concept is being developed to assess the environmental risks posed by microplastics in flowing waters.

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  • BioFAVOR II – Low-tech recycling of faeces from decentralised sources
    Sufficiency

    BioFAVOR II – Low-tech recycling of faeces from decentralised sources

    The research network in the BioFAVOR II project demonstrates the technical feasibility of a novel low-tech process for converting faeces from composting toilets into products that are hygienically and ecologically safe.

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  • Environmental Risks and Pharmaceuticals: The Key Role of Pharmacies
    Chemical Risks

    Environmental Risks and Pharmaceuticals: The Key Role of Pharmacies

    In order to raise environmental awareness, the project team is working together with pharmacy practice partners to develop materials that will be used and evaluated on a pilot basis in training and further education.

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  • Semizentral – Infrastructure systems for cities of the future experiencing rapid growth
    Water

    Semizentral – Infrastructure systems for cities of the future experiencing rapid growth

    Within the CLIENT joint project “Semizentral: Resource-efficient and flexible supply and waste disposal infrastructure systems for rapidly growing cities of the future – Phase 2” ISOE is supporting the implementation of a project that is testing the semicentral freshwater supply and wastewater treatment in a new district of Qingdao/China.
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  • netWORKS 3 – Sustainable concepts for the municipal water sector
    Water Climate Adaptation

    netWORKS 3 – Sustainable concepts for the municipal water sector

    The goal of the research collaboration netWORKS is to develop innovative and sustainable solutions for the municipal water and wastewater sector. The netWORKS 3 project is designed to help municipalities adapt to the changing determining conditions in the water and wastewater sector.
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  • NaCoSi – Sustainability controlling of the domestic water management
    Water Chemical Risks

    NaCoSi – Sustainability controlling of the domestic water management

    The goal of the joint project is to develop a sustainability controlling for the domestic water management, thus minimising the risks that compromise sustainable development and improving the viability of the water sector.
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  • Tracking down micropollutants
    Chemical Risks

    Tracking down micropollutants

    The project is studying how drug residue in the water cycle might be minimised with the help of technical and communications measures.
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  • Drugs for man and the environment?
    Chemical Risks

    Drugs for man and the environment?

    The aim of the project is to raise doctors' awareness of the environmental relevance of pharmaceutical residues in water by integrating the topic into their basic and further training.

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  • TransRisk – Pollutants as a risk to the water cycle
    Chemical Risks Water

    TransRisk – Pollutants as a risk to the water cycle

    Scientists in the TransRisk project are studying how to characterise, communicate and minimise the risks that ensue due to new pollutants and pathogens in the water cycle.
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  • KREIS – Innovative municipal wastewater system in ‘Jenfelder Au’
    Water

    KREIS – Innovative municipal wastewater system in ‘Jenfelder Au’

    The innovative drainage and energy-generating concept HAMBURG WATER Cycle is being implemented in a new urban district of the city. ISOE is analysing the scheme in terms of user behaviour and sustainability.
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  • Eliminating micropollutants in sewage plants
    Chemical Risks Water

    Eliminating micropollutants in sewage plants

    This project looks into how active drugs substances and micropollutants can be extracted via sewage plants. The part played by ISOE is to investigate how such inputs can be avoid.
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  • Structural concept for Trinkwasserversorgung Magdeburg
    Water

    Structural concept for Trinkwasserversorgung Magdeburg

    In this project a structural concept for the future water supply was developed on behalf of the water utility Trinkwasserversorgung Magdeburg GmbH (TWM).
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  • Communication Strategies for the Handling of Pharmaceuticals
    Chemical Risks

    Communication Strategies for the Handling of Pharmaceuticals

    ISOE developed a communication strategy for the Federal Environmental Agency (UBA). It was intended to reduce the input of pharmaceuticals into water bodies.
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  • Sustainability Performance in the Water Supply
    Water

    Sustainability Performance in the Water Supply

    In order to render the sustainability performance of German water utilities measurable and evaluable, the team identified operational figures which it compiled into a catalogue.
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  • netWORKS – Transformations in Network Related Infrastructure Sectors
    Water Climate Adaptation

    netWORKS – Transformations in Network Related Infrastructure Sectors

    The goal of the project group was to develop strategies and instruments that enable municipal decision-makers to take forward-looking action in the current process of transformation to the infrastructure systems.
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  • Privatisation in the Water Sector
    Water

    Privatisation in the Water Sector

    ISOE compiled this exploratory study for the "Social Ecological Research" funding programme of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The scientists ascertained research needs for sustainable development in water resource management.
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  • Substitution of Environmental Relevant Flame Retardants
    Chemical Risks

    Substitution of Environmental Relevant Flame Retardants

    The team investigated the use of flame retardants in Germany on the basis of selected products. These included products from the categories of insulating material and polyurethane foam, construction materials for rail vehicles, printed circuit boards, basic materials for electronics housing, and mattress/upholstery fabrics.
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  • Water Cycle an Urban-Ecological Development
    Water

    Water Cycle an Urban-Ecological Development

    The project team investigated the connection between the social, technical and ecological aspects of a future approach to urban water usage. It focused its research on the water cycle in the cities of Dresden and Frankfurt am Main. The scientists came up with sustainable strategies to form a scenario capable of tackling the water-related problems and socio-ecological hot spots in urban industrial regions.
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  • Stormwater Infiltration in Wiesbaden
    Water

    Stormwater Infiltration in Wiesbaden

    ISOE subjected parts of Wiesbaden city to an initial water management appraisal. Here, scientists categorised which surfaces were suitable for decentralised infiltration of precipitation. The surfaces were evaluated with a view to groundwater protection (pollutant input and filtering qualities of the soils) and their infiltration capability.
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  • Material flows of environmentally relevant chemical substances: product line controlling
    Water

    Material flows of environmentally relevant chemical substances: product line controlling

    Using fire protection as an example, the project team investigated the possibility of implementing an ecological scheme to manage material flows along the value chain. In preventative fire protection, plastics are often treated with flame retardants containing problematic substances.

    Based on a product tree analysis, the potentials and restrictions of ecological innovations in the field of fire protection were examined. Personal computers and car seats were the product lines of reference here. At ISOE, actor-oriented studies were carried out to establish people's knowledge about substances, risk awareness, usage patterns and innovation routines.
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Publications

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