On May 7, 2025, as part of CARDIMED’s ongoing commitment to sustainable water management and nature-based solutions, project partner Marco Hartl from alchemia-nova recently delivered an inspiring guest lecture at the Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, BOKU University, Vienna.
The seminar focused on the role of green walls in wastewater treatment and water reuse, highlighting innovative approaches developed under EU-funded projects such as HOUSEFUL, Multisource, and CARDIMED. Through engaging presentations and real-world examples, Marco Hartl introduced students to vertECO (publication here) and GRETA green wall systems installed at pilot and demonstration sites across Austria and Spain.
A key highlight was the presentation of the CARDIMED Demo site in Sicily, a greenwall designed and implemented by our project partner IRIDRA. This pioneering system treats hand wash greywater in a public school for reuse in toilet flushing, demonstrating practical, localized solutions to address water scarcity.
Key Benefits of Green Walls for Greywater Reuse:
- High reuse potential: Greywater is abundant and relatively low in pollutants, making it ideal for treatment and reuse.
- Water savings & resilience: Onsite systems reduce reliance on centralized treatment plants, increasing water availability and local resilience.
- Urban environmental benefits: Green walls help cool cities, improve insulation and air quality, and support urban biodiversity.
The lecture concluded with an engaging Q&A, with motivated Water Engineering Master students actively contributing to the discussion around the future of decentralized water reuse systems.
This initiative reflects CARDIMED’s broader mission to accelerate the adoption of nature-based solutions (NBS) across the Mediterranean and contribute to climate adaptation and urban resilience.
The greywater fed green wall on the pictures shows the successful demonstration by the BOKU SIG institute in their courtyard, with very insightful investigations led by Bernhard Pucher (read here).
