LEAD BENEFICIARY: RESEARCH COMMITTEE OF THE ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY OF THESSALONIKI
The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), founded in 1925, is the largest university in Greece and one of the most significant academic and research institutions in South-Eastern Europe. With more than 40 Departments and thousands of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students, AUTH develops strong research activity across a wide range of scientific fields, contributing substantially to the production of knowledge, technological innovation and sustainable development.
The University has extensive experience in participating in and coordinating European and international research projects, including numerous Interreg, Horizon Europe, LIFE and Erasmus+ projects, supporting the transfer of expertise and the development of innovative solutions to address environmental, energy and social challenges. Its strong research infrastructure and international networking make it a strategic partner in projects requiring high-level scientific documentation and applied research.
The Laboratory of Hydraulics and Hydraulic Structures belongs to the Division of Hydraulics and Environmental Engineering of the Department of Civil Engineering (Department of Civil Engineering AUTH) of the Polytechnic School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. It is one of the most recognised academic and research units in the country in the field of water resources, urban hydrology, water supply networks and integrated water management.
The laboratory develops research and applied activities in areas including water resource management, water supply and sewerage networks, analysis and reduction of non-revenue water (NRW), hydraulic network simulation, energy resource management in water supply systems, infrastructure resilience to climate change, and the development of decision support systems (DSS) for water management authorities.
Under the scientific guidance of Professor Vassilios Kanakoudis, the laboratory has developed significant internationally recognised expertise in water supply network performance assessment, IWA water balances, full water cost recovery, loss management, performance indicator development and decision support tools. Among its most notable outcomes are the modification of the IWA International Water Balance, the development of the WB/PI-Calc UTH® software, new water supply network assessment indicators and innovative methodologies for optimising the operation of water supply systems.
The laboratory has extensive experience in participating in and coordinating European research projects, particularly under Interreg programmes, with projects such as WATERLOSS, WATenERgy CYCLE, WATER RESCUE, SaveSafeWater and SunWater. Through these actions, it has contributed to the development and implementation of innovative tools for reducing water losses, improving energy efficiency and enhancing the sustainability of water supply systems at a European level.
Within the FRESHNESS project, the Laboratory of Hydraulics and Hydraulic Structures provides scientific guidance and assessment methodologies for optimising water and energy use, monitoring performance indicators, analysing non-revenue water and developing decision-making tools, contributing substantially to the achievement of the project’s objectives for resilient and sustainable water supply systems in Greece and Cyprus.
More information can be found on the beneficiary’s website:
Role and contribution of AUTH in the FRESHNESS project
The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, through the Laboratory of Hydraulics and Hydraulic Structures of the Department of Civil Engineering, participates in the FRESHNESS project as a highly specialised scientific partner. AUTH’s role is to ensure the scientific documentation, methodological coherence and technical soundness of activities relating to the sustainable management of water supply networks, the reduction of non-revenue water and the improvement of water and energy resource efficiency.
AUTH’s contribution is based primarily on the expertise and already developed methodologies of Professor V. Kanakoudis, concerning the IWA water balance, the assessment of water supply network performance indicators, the formulation of pricing policy based on the full cost of water, spatial demand distribution, loss management and decision support for NRW reduction. Through these, AUTH transfers to the project mature research knowledge and applied tools that can be adapted to the needs of the pilot areas of Heraklion, Kos, Larnaca and Limassol.
At the same time, AUTH offers significant added value owing to its extensive experience in Interreg projects, both as a partner and as a coordinator. This experience enhances the proper implementation of the Action, the transfer of expertise within the cooperation area and the alignment of technical results with the objectives of the Interreg VI-A Greece–Cyprus 2021–2027 Programme, particularly with regard to climate change adaptation, protection of the natural environment and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Project Manager Contact Details:
Professor Vassilios Kanakoudis kanakoudis@civil.auth.gr, (Kanakoudis Vassilios – Department of Civil Engineering AUTH)
