Grundfos Foundation | PDJF

Our massive project "Microflora Danica: the atlas of Danish environmental microbiomes" is online (https://lnkd.in/drFBXwNX)! 5 years ago Per Halkjær Nielsen and I started the project of our dreams! To reveal the microbes of an entire country! But, why? Read on!

Robotteknologi og miljøomsorg Naturvidenskabernes Hus har udviklet undervisningsforløbet, hvor gymnasieelever undersøger, hvordan vi kan genskabe en klar sø fuld af biodiversitet ved at fjerne fosfor og bringe det ud på markerne, hvor det gør gavn. Forløbet er en temacase om fosfor, som består af fem undervisningspakker og det udspringer af et forskningsprojekt ved Ormstrup Sø og er støttet af Grundfos Foundation | PDJF. Se de fem film om fosfor og restaurering af søer, som vi i Naturvidenskabernes Hus har udviklet i samarbejde med forskere fra flere danske universiteter, og som er skudt og klippet af den dygtige videoformidler Kåre Nielsen fra Store Nørd. https://lnkd.in/dzNS_N7S Se også hvordan gymnasieelever har udforsket robotteknologi og miljø ved en midtjysk sø. https://lnkd.in/df88NWde Maiken Rabøl Rossen Karina Esmine Fredbo Rikke Storm

After months of concept development and coding, we now have a fully operational metabolism model, which can be plugged into our data buoy, and used in lakes, estuaries and rivers. The concept has just been presented in Aktuel Naturvidenskab (https://lnkd.in/g8yBit5M), and demonstrated for Lake Ormstrup, which is currently being restored in a project funded by Grundfos Foundation | PDJF.   Metabolism is a fundamental property of aquatic ecosystems, and describes the turnover of biomass and energy. Why is this relevant for you?   Metabolism is super interesting and highly relevant as it is a good indicator for the overall health of an ecosystem. It can be derived from durable dissolved oxygen sensors – in this case we used OPTOD sensors from Aqualabo (thanks Yoann Fournier for facilitating this). Metabolism is expressed through the overall primary production and respiration of all organisms in the ecosystem, ranging from bacteria and algae to fish and whales. These rates are typically higher in turbid, nutrient rich systems, compared to clear water systems with a higher biodiversity. Following the metabolism of an ecosystem over time can therefore be used to track the health trajectory of the system, and whether this is improving or deteriorating. And we have now made this a lot easier!   Metabolism can be derived from a combination of oxygen data and relatively complex computer modelling. This approach has until now have been limited to small specialist groups within the scientific community. At WaterITech we have now changed this. In fact, making otherwise technical and difficult scientific insights useful and easily applied in real-world applications is one of the core reasons we founded WaterITech and the WaterWebTools Platform in the first place.   We have made the new metabolism model operational via the WaterWebTools Portal. When a new data buoy is launched in the field, we can therefore start deriving metabolism immediately. This will give you real-time insights into the system, as well as the ability to follow the system over longer time – you simply go to the WaterWebTools Portal and get access to processed data and awesome visualizations.   The solution is highly relevant for following effects of management interventions, including f.x. the big landscape changes soon to be initiated in Denmark by Jeppe Bruus and Ministeriet for Grøn Trepart – the metabolism insights can help us understand whether the interventions actually work as planned, which works the best, and why this could be? Interested in getting a metabolism buoy? Check out our website at wateritech.com/data-buoy, and also feel free to reach out to learn more about the solution. You can also use your phone or a laptop to check out a real-life metabolism example for a Danish Lake right here: https://lnkd.in/gSTNPdCk (click on screen icon at right hand side to view metabolism output).

A few weeks ago, we returned from Tanzania with a wealth of insights in our backpacks. Some of what we learned reinforced our current approach in the Grundfos Foundation | PDJF, but we also gained new knowledge to guide our future work. The pictures capture some of the impressive impacts our partners have made. A few key reflections from us coming back are (sorry about the lengthiness): Local Involvement: Engaging local communities, contextualizing our efforts, and developing local capacities are crucial for lasting impact. While we may have solutions and technologies in Denmark and Dar Es Salaam, their potential is only realized when we involve the people who will use them in their daily lives. Gearing Impact: Impact can be amplified by leveraging cross-sector synergies. Water is a key enabler for building resilient societies, and there are many synergies to be harvested with other sectors like energy, healthcare, and education. For example, we saw amazing work at a school where teachers combined entrepreneurship and climate change studies. The pupils needed water to grow crops as part of their class, and access to water also increased the attendance rate, especially for girls. Simply put, access to water enhances the impact of the great educational activities carried out by UNICEF Tanzania and the local teachers. Systemic Change: Integrating with existing local and national government systems is essential for long-term sustainability. While it may not be easy, it is a prerequisite for the lasting success of our interventions. Additionally, this integration offers tremendous potential for testing new technologies or approaches that can eventually become standards for public systems. One of the many benefits of public-philanthropic-private partnerships. Scaling: Bridging philanthropic investments and institutional capital is important for scaling our efforts. While it's great that these projects have provided access to water for 140,000 people, +30 million in Tanzania still lack access to safe water. Only by unlocking larger investments can we close the water access gap. Partnership in practice: bringing many different partners together might not always be the easiest and fastest way forward. However, we remain committed to go the extra mile in coordinating and collaboration to exploit complementary competencies across many partners. This trip was another great example of partners going far, not fast in the beginning, but far in the long run. Thanks to again to UNICEF, UNICEF Tanzania, Water Mission and Rural Water and Sanitation Authorities Tanzania. Was a pleasure, Ilija Gudnitz Weber, Amalie Ingefred Davidsen, Stanislaus Kamwaga, Anne Hölscher, Gemma Querol Prades, Gitte Thordahl Jespersen, Martin Skovrup Bertelsen, David Gerlach, P.E. #ProudtobeGrundfos

💡 🔋 Engineering Solutions Workshop for Sustainability was held on October 16 at Şişli İPA Habitat Entrepreneurship Center, A presentation was made in this organization, which was held with the support of Sustainability Steps Association and Grundfos Poul Due Jensen Foundation, by touching on the relationship between sustainability and engineering and conveying good practice examples from Turkey and the world, It was very enjoyable and proud for us to raise awareness for future engineers. Thanks to everyone who organized and participated, #Sustuanibility #Engineering --- Sürdürülebilirlik için Mühendislik Çözümler Atölyesi'ni 16 Ekim tarihinde Şişli İPA Habitat Girişimcilik Merkezi’nde gerçekleştirildi, Sürdürülebilirlik Adımları Derneği ve Grundfos olarak Poul Due Jensen Vakfı desteğiyle gerçekleştirilen bu organizasyonda sürdürülebilirlik ve mühendislik ilişkisine değinerek Türkiye’den ve dünyadan iyi uygulama örneklerini aktardığı bir sunum gerçekleştirildi, Bizler açısında geleceğin mühendislerine farkındalık oluşturmak çok keyifli ve gurur vericiydi. Düzenleyen ve katılım sağlayan herkese teşekkürler, 😊 👏 Emrah Kurum Gonca Başar Kürşat A. P. GRUNDFOS Grundfos Foundation | PDJF Sürdürülebilirlik Adımları Derneği #Sürdürülebilirlik #Mühendislik

Meet Ariet, a 39 year old woman living in a rural community in Gambella, western Ethiopia. Here, 98% of the people are estimated to practice open defecation and have no access to decent latrines. Ariet is the chair woman of the village's water user association and is part of the SunWASH project, where she and 53 fellow households have got awareness raising to learn about sanitation. After the awareness raising, they have constructed their own latrines using locally available materials - a remarkable result in less than a year of implementation! Ariet and her latrine is a great example of how Plan International works with community-based interventions, where target individuals themselves support each other to create sustainable change. "I invite my neighbours who don't have a latrine to use mine", she says with strong confidence. "Afterwards, I ask them for feedback and if they are positive I offer my support to construct their own latrines and give advice on hand washing." It has been absolutely amazing for us at PlanBørnefonden to visit Ethiopia this past week and meet strong and influential women like Ariet 💦🌞💪🙏🚽 Thank you Plan International Ethiopia for your amazing work and Grundfos Foundation | PDJF for making it financially possible to implement this important project.