International Conference “Closed cycles and the Circular Society 2023: The power of ecological engineering”

The International Conference “Closed cycles and the Circular Society 2023: The power of ecological engineering” of the International Ecological Engineering Society (IEES) will be held between October 1st – 5th, 2023 in Platanias – Chania on the island of Crete, Greece with physical presence and is organised by the Technical University of Crete.

Conference Topics

Use of ecological elements and ecosystems to reduce pollution

• Phytoremediation
• Natural treatment systems
• Constructed wetlands 
• Sustainable water and wastewater treatment
• Ecological sanitation
• Stormwater and groundwater management 
• Sustainable groundwater remediation 
• Soil bioremediation

Use of ecosystems in a circular society

• Nature-based solutions: e.g., green roofs, green walls, rain gardens, green facades, vertical gardens, bioretention systems, rainwater harvesting, urban forests, swales, soakways, green/blue corridors, drain ways, participatory watershed management, coastal mangrove restoration, etc.)
• Water-energy-food nexus in circular economy
• Urban agriculture and horticulture
• Ecosystem restoration
• Urban heat island mitigation strategies
• Improving mental health and well-being in urban areas
• Green and smart buildings
• Sustainable drainage systems
• Infiltration in urban areas
• Urban ecology

Circular design and integrated planning approaches for increased resiliency

• Biomimicry and biophilic design 
• Role of architects, planners, and engineers in circular design 
• Circular and smart cities for urban sustainability
• Eco-villages
• Design for ecosystem services
• Urban metabolism
• Urban strategies in ecological landscape architecture 
• Regenerative urbanism
• Urban and regional environmental planning
• Green-blue infrastructure
• Circular built environment
• Ecosystem modelling

Resource recovery and reuse

• Water reuse, recycling, and reclamation 
• Nutrient and material recovery 
• Protection and reclamation of soils
• Sustainable transformation of renewable bioresources
• Composting systems and smart fertilizers
• Bio-based products, materials, biofuels 
• Biochar/hydrochar-based materials
• Ecological solutions for industrial symbiosis

Climate change, green and just transition, and carbon neutrality: the role of ecological engineers

• From the Green Deal to the Real Deal
• Energy-saving technologies
• Eco-engineering for energy efficiency
• Bioenergy, biomass to fuel
• Microbial fuel cells 
• Bio-sequestration, soil-carbon sequestration 
• Industrial ecology
• Environmental impact assessment
• Life-cycle assessment 
• Social life cycle and impact assessment
• Stakeholders’ engagement and citizen participation
• Capacity building and living labs
• Environmentally-focused social innovation

Regenerative agriculture

• Circular bioeconomy
• Integrated pest and disease management
• Natural soil cultivation (worms, dung beetles)
• Sustainable forest management 
• Recirculating algae production system
• Livestock management
• Biorefineries
• Aquaculture and aquaponics
• Agricultural and food engineering

Ecological Engineering and the mining industry

• Mine land restoration 
• Sustainable management of mine drainage 
• Erosion processes, soil stabilization and management
• Plant-soil-water interaction 
• Plant growth and nutrition
• Geomorphology of reclaimed land

Ecological Engineering Education

• Ecological engineering curriculum
• Interdisciplinary education
• Systems thinking and analysis
• Circularity in education
• Nature-based learning
• Knowledge integration
• International exchange of credits
• Accreditation