Energy, Water, & Environment (EWE) is a crucial scientific theme within RSS. This important scientific theme is represented by the EWE Cluster which provides technical services and consultations in addition to promoting the adoption of sound and best practices conforming to the concept of sustainable development. The EWE Cluster also delivers field energy, water, and environmental measurements and analysis services and is fully supported by several nationally and internationally accredited laboratories and monitoring units which are capable of providing high level analysis and measurements.
Areas of specialisation include:
- Energy (renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy audits)
- Environmental auditing & impact assessment
- Hazardous & Solid waste management
- Assessment of noise pollution
- Water demand management & Water quality assessment
- Reclaimed water reuse, Bio-solids treatment, management and reuse
- Real-time water quality monitoring
- Major hazard risk assessment
- Cleaner production (pollution prevention and waste minimization)
- Air quality assessment and management
- Life cycle assessment
Energy
In the energy field, EWE Cluster contributes to the local community through multiple achievements in areas of rational use of energy and energy efficiency, photovoltaic, wind energy, bio-energy, and oil shale.
Cleaner Production
Cleaner Production (CP) aims at increasing the eco-efficiency of enterprises. EWE has developed excellent experience in this field and has a dedicated CP Unit, www.cp.org.jo. A wide range of companies within the Industry are trained and coached to implement CP at their facilities to reduce waste, utilize natural resources at the optimum level and to introduce better ways of processing and performing their work.
Major Hazard Risk Assessment (MHRA)
MHRA is a preventive approach to assess the risk of major accidents having a hazardous impact on health, property and environment with major impact beyond the boundaries of the factory. MHRA identifies scenarios, evaluates the impacts on human health and the environment, determines the probabilities of an incident and defines preventive or mitigation measures to reduce the risk and sets emergency response plans in case of an incident.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
LCA is a methodology allowing analysis of all environmental burdens (consumption of natural resources, emissions to air, soil and water) of a product or service over its entire life cycle, i.e. production, processing, use and disposal. EWE has conducted life cycle assessment for the use of coal, petcock, oil shale and natural gas as an alternative to heavy fuel oil for the cement industry in Jordan.
Environment Monitoring and Research Central Unit (EMARCU)
EMARCU was established with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2003. The unit aims at managing, operating and maintaining the "National Project for Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring". Its ultimate objective is public health and environmental protection and sustainability.
Water Quality Monitoring & Assessment
EWE undertakes major environmental monitoring programs to assess levels of pollution and to assess compliance with national standards and regulations. Throughout the last decade EWE collaborated with various national ministries, as well as international agencies in implementing an array of development projects. EWE is currently involved in various national and regional projects that focus on issues of water management and agriculture including, the adoption of innovative water treatment techniques, the reclamation of water for agricultural purposes and the use of biosolid fertilizers as well as implementation of community-based projects related to Integrated Wastewater Management, grey water, low cost technologies, and climate change.
Air Quality Monitoring and Assessment
RSS was the first in Jordan to offer air quality monitoring and assessment services.
The EWE cluster’s activities are recognized at the local and international levels which include; air quality monitoring in the ambient air at various sites in Jordan and the region, measurements and assessment of air quality at industrial sites for various companies in Jordan, and Air pollution dispersion modelling mainly as part of environmental impact assessment (EIA).