The world’s leading trade fair for water, sewage, waste and raw materials management will take place in Munich from May 30 to June 3, 2022. The core theme of the 2022 trade fair is water-conscious cities. We have summarized everything you need to know about IFAT 2022 here.
More than 2,500 exhibitors from 50 countries have already registered for this year’s IFAT trade fair in Munich. The trade fair will take place from May 30 to June 3, 2022 at the Munich Exhibition Center and will focus on the sustainable use of resources. The world’s leading trade fair for water, sewage, waste and raw materials management is attracting great interest as it presents sustainable environmental technologies for climate protection.
Preparations are currently in full swing. All 18 exhibition halls and a large part of the outdoor area are already booked. Compared to the record-breaking 2018 trade fair, this is a very strong development – despite the pandemic. According to Stefan Rummel, Managing Director of Messe München, the team is constantly receiving new inquiries.
Photo: Messe München GmbH
IFAT 2022: Large companies and start-ups dominate
IFAT 2022 will focus on the urgency of environmental, resource and climate protection. These topics are highlighted by the latest IPCC assessment report, among others. This year, water is a focal point of the trade fair. Water-conscious cities and technologies will set new standards.
IFAT aims to bring together international decision-makers, experts and market players in one place to tackle the major challenges together. With major international events such as the IAA MOBILITY, Messe München has succeeded in doing this in recent years, even under difficult conditions. The more relaxed coronavirus restrictions in spring 2022 will make networking even easier.
In the “Circular Economy and Waste Management” segment, suppliers such as Remondis, Veolia, PreZero, EEW Energy from Waste, Doppstadt Umwelttechnik, Komptech, Arjes, Sutco RecyclingTechnik, Eggersmann, Lindner-Recyclingtech, Zeppelin Baumaschinen, Sennebogen Maschinenfabrik, Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger, Komatsu, Zöller-Kipper, Martin, SSI Schäfer and ESE will be at IFAT 2022.
Waste management and recycling exhibition area at IFAT 2018 (Photo: Andreas Schebesta)
Solutions for water shortages
Wilo, Huber, Invent Umwelt- und Verfahrenstechnik, Grundfos, KSB, Sulzer, Xylem Europe, Endress+Hauser, Gea Westfalia Seperator Group, Kaeser Kompressoren, EnviroChemie, Otto Graf, Aerzener Maschinenfabrik, Veolia Water Technologies, AVK Armaturen, Hawle Armaturen, Talis, Siemens, Hermann Sewerin, Aco Tiefbau, Kaiser and IBAK, among others, are expected for “Water and Wastewater”.
“Municipal technology” will be represented at IFAT 2022 by Faun Umwelttechnik, Bucher Municipal, Aebi Schmidt, Küpper-Weisser and Fayat Environmental Solutions, while Iveco Magirus, Scania, Volvo Group Trucks, DAF Trucks, Daimler Truck and Mercedes Benz will be among the vehicle exhibitors. Numerous international exhibitors and start-ups are also expected at the trade fair.
Water scarcity is a major challenge for companies working in the water and wastewater management sector. The sustainable use of available resources, especially scarce water, is also a key issue for other companies in the future.
Water consumption in German industry has been declining for three decades. This trend must continue, as increasing periods of drought in many regions can lead to difficulties even in water-rich Germany. Conflicts over use are already emerging in countries such as Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Water-saving technologies that make rainwater or treated wastewater even more usable will therefore be of particular interest at IFAT 2022 in Munich. The aim is to achieve completely wastewater-free production. This is already a reality in some places: an Audi plant in Mexico, for example, has been treating 100 percent of its wastewater since 2016 and using it as process water, in production and for watering green spaces.
The “Zero Liquid Discharge Strategy” offers many fields of application. Because it can close the water cycle. In Qatar, for example, saline wastewater is treated using solar panels so that the water can be reintroduced into the cycle. In other countries, however, the water cycle is not the main problem, which is why other areas such as wastewater concentrates and improved industrial water cycles are of interest here.
Water-conscious urban development as a task for the future
IFAT 2022 offers a platform to discuss the topic of water-conscious cities, challenges and obstacles, but also solutions and best-practice examples. Many municipalities are facing either heavy rainfall or drought. In both cases, more water-conscious urban development is needed.
The term “sponge cities” will be used frequently at IFAT 2022. This is an adaptation strategy: thanks to urban green zones, wetlands, water and flooding areas and multifunctional storage spaces, sponge cities can absorb a lot of rainwater. This means that excess water does not have to be drained directly into canals and receiving waters. This should help to mitigate the effects of storms and at the same time store water for subsequent dry periods. In combination with green roofs and façades, existing green spaces and trees can then contribute to cooling and improving the air quality of the city.
IFAT 2022: European pioneers for water-conscious cities
Asian cities such as Singapore and southern Chinese metropolitan areas are already successful sponge cities. Now European cities are following suit: Copenhagen and Vienna in particular are among the pioneers. In Copenhagen, water management has been in place since 2014 with elements such as underground relief tunnels and the irrigation of green spaces with water from sewage treatment plants.
In Vienna, a new district called Seestadt is currently being built on a former airfield. Here there are large, interconnected root zones that store rainwater and release it to the city’s trees over long periods of time. Seepage, filter and sedimentation basins, decentralized micro sewage treatment plants and perennials resistant to road salt are further elements of the Austrian strategy.
In Germany, Hamburg is a prominent example of successful water management. In new development areas, rainwater is almost completely separated from the sewage system. The city is also well prepared for flooding and is working to minimize the risk of flooding.
All these cities and many more will be presenting their solutions at IFAT 2022.
