SEQWENS

Project name and number: SEQWENS: Ensuring sustainability and equality of water and energy systems during actor-driven disruptive innovation (2018-00239)
Project leader: David Nilsson, KTH
Participating universities/companies/organisations: From KTH Royal Institute of Technology: WaterCentre@KTH, Department of Energy Technology, Department of Philosophy and History; Akademiska Hus; Einar Mattson; Familjebostäder; Graytec; HSB Living Lab; Mälardalens högskola; Skandinavisk Kommunalteknik; Stockholm Exergi; Stockholm Vatten och Avfall; Stockholmshem: Svenskt Vatten; Uponor; Vasakronan; Värmdö kommun, Chalmers University of Technology.
Project period: 2018–2021
Financing: Formas

Scheme of projects. — Production scheme from one of the case studies
Photo: David Nilsson/KTH

Improved energy efficiency in buildings contribute to global and national goals for environment and climate. Recovery of heat from wastewater is a promising technology but may become disruptive for the city-wide systems for water and heat. The aim of this project is to assess the system effect of on-property heat and water installations, including social consequences, in support of a smooth transition towards a climate-smart society.

We wish to:

Assess the scope for on-property installations for water and heat recirculation.
Understand the varying incentives, business models and strategies of different actors.
Evaluate system effects in terms of energy, climate, business models and social equity for four future scenarios.
Initiate a dialogue between policy-makers, infrastructure-owners, and real estate actors, for coherent strategies for transformation of urban water and heat systems.

We use case studies in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Värmdö, where different on-property solutions are already being tested. We assess the co-evolution of technology, actors and society, and how the new technology redistributes benefits and costs among the societal actors.

The interdisciplinary research team from KTH covers energy and water engineering, systems approaches, innovation studies, history and industrial management. The project is carried out with participation from a range of private and municipal actors in water, energy and real estate.