GreenNano ends after 8 years
On October 20-21, the final digital conference within GreenNano took place, which marked the end of a more than eight-year (!) long research and innovation project.
GreenNano, led by Luleå University of Technology in collaboration with more than 30 parties, aimed to implement and develop innovative methods for sustainable stormwater management, in order to contribute to attractive cities, cleaner watercourses and better living environments.
The final conference began with a speech by Catharina Zajcev, Vinnova. Afterwards, both representatives from participating parties and researchers presented results from the project. Speakers include Anna Maria Kullberg, MittSverige Water & Waste; Ulrika Larsson, Luleå municipality; Maria Roldin, DHI; Jonathan Fridesjö, Water Authority of the Bothnian Sea Water District; Emil Eriksson, Järven Ecotech; Hans Säll, NCC; Thomas Larm, StormTac, and about 10 researchers from Luleå University of Technology.
- What I was particularly struck by during the conference was how much new knowledge about stormwater-related issues has actually emerged during these years, and how many of GreenNano's original visions have been realized, says Anna Maria Kullberg, MittSverige Water & Waste.
During the project, stormwater treatment plants have been implemented in e.g. Malmö, Växjö, Sundsvall and Östersund, with input from researchers at LTU who made instrumentation and evaluation of the facilities possible. In addition, i.a. development work for innovative treatment components, new maintenance solutions, further development of modeling tools, new knowledge about which pollutants stormwater contains, and methods that contribute to greener cities have been developed within the project. Results from GreenNano are published in a number of popular science brochures: Link.
The fact that the project period for GreenNano was a total of eight years is due to the effects of the covid-19 pandemic, which led to Vinnova extended the project period. Fortunately, the project extension led to a number of positive effects that would not otherwise have occurred. For example, the evaluation that took place of the stormwater biofilter in Sundsvall could be extended with more sampling, which enabled analysis of more substances than otherwise not have been possible to implement (organic, microplastic and metals / nutrients). The evaluation of the floating baffle in Östersund regarding its purification function could be supplemented with sampling and analyzes from two more summer seasons, and that the sampling of the stormwater biofilter in Växjö had time to start, despite its construction being delayed. In addition, expanded analysis of microplastics in urban snow could take place. In all, the project extension led to e.g. to a more robust evaluation of the facilities built within the project - valuable knowledge for future implementations of innovative stormwater infrastructure.