Andrea Cominola, Assistant Professor and head of the Smart Water Networks group at the Einstein Center Digital Future and the Technische Universität Berlin

CCEE Environmental, Water Resources, and Coastal Engineering Seminar Series

12:50-1:40

Friday, February 19, 2021

Please join us virtually at

https://ncsu.zoom.us/j/96156963811?pwd=QVRwSmlRZ1lqWm1xL0JVcG9RWC9Zdz09

Abstract:

Over the last three decades, the development of smart water meter trials and the rise of “digital water” have enabled the collection and analysis of water demand data at increasingly higher spatial and temporal resolutions with advanced metering infrastructure and powerful data analytics. Knowledge on the determinants and patterns of water demand for different consumers can support the design of customized demand management strategies. Yet, the large-scale collection of water consumption data at high spatial and temporal resolution is hampered by several uncertainties, including privacy issues, sensor battery duration, unclear business models, benefits for water utilities and water consumers, and the actual implications for environmental sustainability. In this talk, we will first analyze the development of advanced metering infrastructure in the global context. Second, we will show how water consumption data at different spatial and temporal scales, coupled with advanced data analytics, can be used to improve our understanding of water usage behaviors, from individual end uses to communities, with demonstrative case studies in the USA, Australia, and Europe. Finally, results from recent studies demonstrating how smart meter-based feedback and user engagement can foster long-term water conservation will be critically analyzed.

Short bio:

Andrea Cominola is an Assistant Professor and head of the Smart Water Networks group at the Einstein Center Digital Future and the Technische Universität Berlin (Germany). He received his PhD in Information Technology at Politecnico di Milano (Italy) for his dissertation on modelling residential water consumers’ behavior using smart meter data. He holds a M.Sc. and a B.Sc. in Environmental and Land Planning Engineering from Politecnico di Milano. He has been visiting PhD candidate at the Watershed Sciences Center and Center for Water-Energy Efficiency of UC Davis (CA – USA). His research is focused on different aspects of digital water, hydroinformatics, and related data mining and machine learning applications to advance the digitalization of water/energy utilities, support water efficiency and conservation, and consumer engagement. Research topics include intelligent water metering, behavioral modelling, urban water/energy demand modelling and management, water efficiency and conservation, modeling of water distribution networks and coupled human-environment systems, and leakage/anomaly detection. He is author of 13 scientific publications in peer-reviewed international journals, 2 book chapters, 47 publications/presentations in international conferences, and reviewer for several international journals. He serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management (ASCE) and of the ICE’s Water Management journal. Born and raised in Italy, Andrea currently lives in Berlin (Germany) and is looking forward to being able to travel again.