For the Early Stage Collaboration Award, (which recognises collaboration of up to 1 year of interactive partnership between business and Cardiff University) was presented to an Environmental, Engineering and Scientific Consultancy - ExCAL Limited.
ExCAL and the Environmental Water Management Research Centre at Cardiff University worked together on a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) project entitled ‘Provision of Environmental Water Management Software Tools for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Industrial South Wales’. This project was set up to predict integrated flow and transport modelling in a combined groundwater and riverine system.
The collaboration between the Environmental Water Management Research Centre and ExCAL resulted in a three-dimensional finite difference groundwater computer model which was applied to predict flow and heavy metal transport rates into the River Tawe from the industrial site.
The developed computer modelling software provided a hi-tech, cost effective and efficient alternative to traditional studies (site investigations / surveys etc). With acquisition of new skills and the new links created, ExCAL were able to employ new staff and safeguard existing positions to take advantage of the new opportunities created.
A close relationship between ExCAL and the University has developed and applications for future grants are currently underway.
The judging panel was particularly impressed with the way in which the technology transfer and the marketing activities carried out by Cardiff University put ExCAL in a highly competitive position in South Wales to bid for environmental modelling projects in the future, offering a unique capability for an SME in South Wales. Congratulations are extended to the University staff involved with the project – Professor Roger Falconer, Dr Binliang Lin and Miss Bettina Bockelmann.
Further Information:
Hydro-environmental Research Centre
Excal