k n o w l e d g e
The FCC company, as part of its project
portfolio, is also a partner in consortiums
that are studying revolutionary aspects in
bio-energy production from wastewater.
In the case of All-gas, a pan-European
consortium led by FCC Aqualia, is investi-
gating as part of the 7th European Union
Framework Program, the sustainable pro-
duction of biofuels based on the low-cost
cultivation of micro-algae.
The project reached its first milestone in
September 2012 when the first results
were approved and aims to recycle organic
material from farm waste and wastewater
to produce biogas. It also seeks to recover
nutrients and water to benefit the growth of
algae under favourable conditions and ex-
tract oil and chemical by-products of the al-
gae biomass. If this became a possibility, it
would revolutionise waste water treatment
since the waste could generate a very va-
luable energy resource.
The Smart City study
One of the major projects focuses on in-
vestigating the treatment, reuse and con-
trol of water for its sustainable use. This
is the case of the ISIIS project (Integrated
Research on Sustainable Islands) which is
posing the challenge of designing a “home
of the future” that is more respectful of the
environment and capable of evolving and
responding to stimuli in its surroundings.
With this objective in mind, the project
partners are conducting an advanced and
ambitious investigation on the necessary
materials and technologies for developing
a building that is self-sufficient in all aspects
(water, energy, basic food, waste treatment
and recycling, etc.), featuring integrated
installations and an intelligent management
and control system all of which is aligned
with the “smart cities” concept.
FCC, in this investigation, has contributed
all the synergies that, as one of the leading
European citizen services group it has at its
disposal.
Alcoy (Alicante)
As part of the ISIIS project, the city of Alcoy
(Alicante) is involved in a study for optimi-
sing energy resources in the water cycle.
The objective of this investigation, a pioneer
worldwide, is to reduce service costs and
the environmental impact by producing less
CO2 emissions to air.
It is precisely in the conception and deve-
lopment of Smart Cities where FCC Aqua-
lia wants to integrate all its knowledge and
the results achieved in its R+D activities.
Based on the involvement of all agents
(administrations, companies, citizens), the
Company wants to generate a new relatio-
nal framework that will make it possible to
take a step forward, from citizen services to
smart services.
The Company’s plan contemplates four
pillars that must be managed correctly to
achieve this new concept: Human Resou-
rces, Quality, Innovation, and Sustainability.
A new approach is required as part of this
framework: citizens must play a fundamen-
tal and proactive role, though information
on real time, in the field of smart services.
FCC Aqualia proposes that the ongoing
improvement in the new generation of ser-
vices is assessed and monitored by means
of a series of indicators (management, fi-
nancial, and environmental), the measure-
ment of which on real time makes it pos-
sible to achieve ongoing improvement and
the implementation of corrective measures
whenever necessary.
