Greening UWS - Harvesting and Re-using Water

Topic outline

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  The Hawkesbury Water Reuse Scheme (HWRS) is centred within the Hawkesbury Campus of the University of Western Sydney (UWS) on about 1280 hectares of land at Richmond NSW, approximately 80 km northwest of Sydney. In this study we look at efforts to obtain leverage from this and other UWS water conservation initiatives in conjunction with the broader community. The project is implemented by the UWS Capital Works and Facilities organisation, which operates as a self-contained business unit with its own budget and procedures. It is intended that the facility established be operated as a 'living laboratory (see link below) to explore new initiatives in conjunction with a community of users. It is also intended that the facility be used to support UWS academic and student programs A structured series of infrastructure improvements to promote effective transfer to water users, and utilisation for landscaping and gardens has been implemented in 2009 with further expansion for 2010 and 2011. These designs reflect an integration with other strategic imperatives and operational initiatives across UWS, including the UWS Water Saving Action Plan, the UWS Landscape Masterplan, and the Greening UWS initiative.

  • News forum
  • UWS Sustainability - Water Initiatives URL
  • The Hawkesbury Water Reuse Scheme File
  • Discussion of the Living Laboratory Concept URL
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  About the UWS Water conservation initiatives

  • Science and technology background supporting the Hawksbury Water Initiative Wiki
  • The Hawksbury water management scheme - Some key evolutionary events Wiki

  
  
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  Framing the research project

  Observations made during action research activities will be ultimately captured in a case study document. Interim issues of the document will be produced, starting with a general project description, an outline of the study approach and observations about the initiation stage of the UWS Water initiative. Here we will initially develop an agreed framework for the case study document, considering theoretical aspects of the case study method and the requirements of the project stakeholders. In working with the industry partners, we will explore the following questions

  • What is the nature of the innovation activities to be undertaken? Reference to an activity overview and Strategic Innovation Map is intended to draw out the nature of potential risks to be managed and what has to be learned in an application sense
  • What do we see as critical issues, critical junctures? Here we wish to establish key milestones and transitions to be managed in a strategic sense
  • How well prepared are we to manage these activities? Here we use a survey instrument to assess current innovation practice and suggest opportunities for improvement 
  • What opportunities to improve our resources/processes/values can be identified from our review of innovation project requirements and current capabilities? 
  • How can we introduce change and consolidate what we collectively learn utilizing the Community of Practice portal and university engagement?
  • How can we embed this learning in enterprise norms, for example by adapting ISO 9000 / ISO 14000 arrangements (see Beckett, 2008 for an example of radical innovation development founded on ISO 9000 principles)

  • Action research & case study development URL

  
  
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  An Innovation Management Perspective

  • An Introduction to environmental innovation File

  
  
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  A collaboration Management Perspective

  
  
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  Assessing outcomes of collaborative innovation initiatives

  
  
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