International experts discussed a number of important issues pertaining to water, energy and the environment at the Fifth International Conference on Water, Energy and Environment 2017 (ICWEE) held today, February 28 at American University of Sharjah (AUS).

The three-day conference, which is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah and President of AUS, provides faculty, students, engineers and managers an opportunity to discuss issues on ecological economics and water, energy and environment resources management. It also provides a forum for distinguished guest speakers and practitioners from more than 22 countries to address recent research results and to present and discuss issues related to water regulation and policies, water resources and sustainable development of the region, progress in water protection and remediation, desalination, wastewater treatment, energy, environmental impact, economic management and development of water resources, environment and other water-related topics.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Björn Kjerfve, Chancellor of AUS, welcomed the delegates to AUS and briefed them about the university's programs and future research plans. He also apprised the visitors on the university's commitment towards sustainability. "At AUS, working towards a sustainable future is an important part of our philosophy, policy and purpose. Along with academic excellence, AUS strives to be a role model in sustainability, representing principles and values that reveal our respect and commitment for the environment. Our efforts towards this goal were recently rewarded when we received the ISO14001 Certificate of Environmental Management Systems. Also, earlier this year, AUS was declared the winner in the Sharjah Green Award category at the Sharjah Economic Excellence Network Awards," said Dr. Kjerfve.

"AUS is committed to improving its environmental performance. Its focus on reducing its environmental impact is not recent. From 2010 to 2013, AUS achieved 24 percent energy savings due to the implementation of various energy and water conservation initiatives across campus. These included the installation of solar water heaters, light sensors, and an energy efficient cooling system and fixtures. We also developed an Environmental Management System (EMS) manual and implemented it on campus in 2015, as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)," he added.

After the review process, 112 papers and posters were chosen to be presented at the conference. Selected research papers will be published in a number of international journals such as Desalination and Water Treatment, and International Journal of Energy Research.

"We are embarking upon an exciting path and the College of Engineering will be a major player as it is the largest college in the university. We will help draw research programs as we transition from primarily a teaching university to one of the top research universities in the region," said Dr. Richard Schoephoerster, Dean of the College of Engineering, speaking on the occasion.

The conference, which will run until March 2, is chaired by Dr. Taleb Ibrahim, Professor of Chemical Engineering at AUS, and sponsored by Bee'ah and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority.