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New European Bauhaus Prizes

Enhancing Circularity, Sustainability, and Innovation

WAISENSE: Sustainable Water Innovation
WAISENSE: Intelligent Water Management for the New European Bauhaus
WAISENSE is an intelligent water management solution that optimizes water use and prevents leaks, transforming plumbing systems in both smart homes and industrial settings. By integrating with smart home systems, it reduces consumption by up to 37%, while in industrial applications, it improves operational efficiency and sustainability. WAISENSE embodies the New European Bauhaus values, enhancing accessibility, aesthetics and circular economy principles across residential and industrial sectors.
Spain
National
It addresses urban-rural linkages
It involves other types of transformations (soft investment)
Yes
2025-02-03
No
No
Yes
Organisation

WAISENSE is an innovative cyber-physical solution (IoT platform/app, open API, and devices) designed to improve water efficiency in residential and industrial facilities. By increasing awareness of water consumption and providing real-time data, WAISENSE seeks to become the European standard for water efficiency in new constructions, making a measurable impact on water conservation improving the quality of life through energy savings, waste reduction and sustainability.

Objectives: Reduce water-energy consumption: Achieving up to 37% water savings in homes and 50% in large buildings, alongside energy reductions linked to water heating. Promote inclusivity: affordable solutions for vulnerable groups and ensure universal access to water efficiency.
Enhance urban resilience & empower citizens: Offer scalable solutions for climate adaptation in European cities, enabling real-time insights to promote sustainable behaviors.

Target groups: Residential & commercial property owners (Smart-Consumers) aiming to reduce water and energy bills while improving property sustainability. Developers & construction companies focused on smart homes and sustainable building projects. Public entities & municipalities aiming to enhance water management and water efficiency.

Aligns with key NEB values: Promotes circular water use, reduces waste, and lowers CO2 emissions, in line with SDGs 6,11,13. Adaptable to many building types, ensuring equitable access for all communities, including low-income areas and social housing. With an intuitive design and easy installation, WAISENSE integrates seamlessly into homes and buildings, enhancing the UX.

WAISENSE addresses local challenges water scarcity, improves resource management in rural areas, and boosts climate resilience, reducing carbon emissions by saving 9,227 kg of CO2 per user/year, equivalent to planting 267 trees (each home application), promoting sustainability, circularity and supporting long-term environmental pres
WAISENSE started in the University of Malaga in 2015 and its current approach is built on four key pillars:
1. WAISENSE development and IP: starts with the foundation of intellectual property protection, ensuring that WAISENSE remains a leader in water efficiency. With +17 international patents, we secure unique technological advancements that enable hassle-free IoT integration and precise water management. This allows us to develop solutions without fear of replication, ensuring long-term scalability.
2. Continuous innovation: our multidisciplinary team (+17) of engineers, software developers, IoT specialists, and data analysts applies an iterative development approach based on real-world data collection and user feedback. We focus on:
-Refining our IoT enabled water management technology, ensuring seamless installation and operation.
-Developing new functionalities, such as the Antifreeze Pipe Feature and advanced data analytics for water usage optimization.
-Incorporating AI and machine learning into our system, enabling predictive maintenance and smart water conservation strategies.
3. Market deployment through strategic partnerships: to scale effectively, we leverage a strong network of construction companies, real estate developers, and installers. By working with key partners like Presto or Roca, among others we integrate WAISENSE solutions into new residential and commercial projects across Europe.
4. IoT ecosystem and user centric implementation: our digital ecosystem includes cloud servers, mobile applications, an open API and remote IoT connectivity, allowing users to monitor and control their water usage in real time. This methodology ensures:
-Seamless user adoption, as WAISENSE integrates home-idustrial systems.
-Ongoing data-driven optimization, enabling software updates and new features without requiring hardware changes.
-Long-term sustainability, as we collect and analyze water usage patterns to help businesses and homeowners reduce c
Water
Circular economy
Data economy
Innovation
Community
WAISENSE is designed to address key sustainability challenges, specifically water scarcity, energy consumption, and waste reduction. According to the UN, by 2050, only 60% of global water demand will be met, driven by inefficient plumbing, lack of awareness, and limited data. WAISENSE aims to mitigate these issues by focusing on these solutions:
Water waste prevention: WAISENSE eliminates water waste by optimizing hot water usage, where users typically waste water waiting for it to reach the desired temperature, without requiring additional infrastructure like return pipes or accumulators.
Anomalous consumption detection: WAISENSE identifies and addresses water waste caused by leaks or the occupation of empty homes, thus improving water management.
WAISENSE also embraces sustainability in its construction and delivery model, using locally sourced, recycled materials with CE marking, ensuring a minimal environmental footprint. WAISENSE offers a (PAAS) model, allowing customers to return used devices for reconditioning, giving them a second life and reducing material waste.
In terms of tangible impact, WAISENSE contributes significantly to water conservation saving 6-25 liters of water every time hot water is used, leading to an average saving of 149m³ per year/household. In Europe, with colder temperatures, the impact is even greater. It also prevents the average annual waste of 32m³ of water per household, equivalent to 1,500 kg of CO2 emissions.
WAISENSE addresses water leakage, which in Spain alone is responsible for 25% of water consumption. Real-time detection and automatic shut-off prevent up to 117m³ of water wastage per installation annually. WAISENSE also aims to tackle grey water management, ensuring that water suitable for reuse is not discarded.
By contributing to water and energy savings, WAISENSE helps mitigate carbon emissions, each system/user saves 9,227 kg of CO2 (domestic application), in industrial applications is exponentially higher.
WAISENSE integrates aesthetics and functionality to provide a HQ experience, its modular and minimalist design ensures easy installation without altering the environment, offering both visible and concealed configurations to be adapted. Customization options allow users to align devices with their space, enhancing aesthetic harmony.
The solution democratizes access to water efficiency through a universal accessibility, affordability, and participatory governance enabling communities to reduce their water footprint without physical or digital barriers.
Beyond its physical design, WAISENSE applies inclusive design principles to ensure usability for all individuals, regardless of age, ability, gender, or socioeconomic background. Its intuitive digital interface provides real-time insights, control over water usage, and predictive features that encourage sustainable habits that reduce manual interaction, facilitating access for elderly and reduced mobility users
This seamless integration of hardware and software enhances convenience while fostering environmental awareness, as well as, by reducing water waste and optimizing energy efficiency, it aligns with global green building certifications (LEED, BREEAM, VERDE). WAISENSE integrates an Open API that enhances customization capabilities, enabling integration with factory automation systems and domestic protocols. This option allows users to tailor the UX/UI experience according to their specific needs, whether in industrial environments or smart homes
WAISENSE integrates sensitivity, intelligence, and expertise to create a meaningful experience that goes beyond functionality, enhances physical and mental well-being by addressing both the practical needs and emotional aspects of users. The system also cultivates a deeper awareness of place, heritage, and community, while integrating an aesthetic design that complements the environment. This holistic approach creates a unique and enriching experience for every user.
WAISENSE is committed to breaking down economic, physical, and digital barriers ensuring that efficiency and savings are accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status, ability, or location.
WAISENSE is redefining inclusivity in water management by removing financial, technical, and accessibility barriers while fostering multi-level participation at local, regional, European, and global scales. Its Product-as-a-Service (PaaS) model democratizes access to cutting-edge water-saving technology, ensuring that individuals, businesses, and public institutions—regardless of economic capacity—can implement sustainable solutions.
Designed with universal accessibility principles, WAISENSE features an intuitive plug&play system, eliminating the need for specialized skills, and a smart digital interface that empowers users of all abilities, including the elderly and people with disabilities. By extending product lifespan through reuse and refurbishment, it also aligns with circular economy goals, making sustainability more affordable and inclusive.
Beyond its technology, WAISENSE promotes a participatory governance model, engaging manufacturers, installers, policymakers, and end-users to co-create water-efficient solutions tailored to specific local needs. Its integration into social housing, public buildings, and smart city projects amplifies its impact, supporting more equitable urban development and directly contributing to the European Green Deal and the UN SDG.
WAISENSE is more than a water-saving solution—it is a catalyst for systemic change. By reducing water waste by 27-52%, lowering energy costs, and optimizing resources in water-scarce regions, it generates both direct and indirect societal benefits, from increased comfort to greater environmental awareness. Its transdisciplinary approach—bridging engineering, digitalization, and policy innovation—makes it a replicable, scalable model for a future where sustainable water access is a right, not a privilege.
WAISENSE was designed in response to a pressing social and environmental demand: the need for responsible water management in both industrial and domestic settings. From its inception, the project has actively involved citizens and civil society organizations to ensure its solutions align with real-world needs/challenges.
WAISENSE is not just a technological innovation; it is a socially driven solution that puts citizens at the center of water conservation. From the early stages of development, the project has prioritized inclusivity and universal access, ensuring that all individuals—regardless of their background, abilities, or gender—can benefit from its implementation.
Public participation has played a crucial role in shaping WAISENSE. Through surveys, pilot programs, and direct engagement with communities, we have gathered valuable feedback to refine the system’s usability, accessibility, and impact. Beyond individual users, WAISENSE has fostered partnerships with local communities, educational institutions, and public administrations to create awareness campaigns, training programs, and engagement activities.
The project’s philosophy is also reflected in its name: "WAI" means "water" in Maori, a culture renowned for its sustainable management of natural resources, while "SENSE" refers to logic and responsibility in efficient water use. This vision has allowed WAISENSE to expand beyond national borders, registering its intellectual property in countries facing similar water challenges. Its international reach now extends to European, Asian, and American markets, reinforcing its global commitment to water conservation.
This collaborative effort has strengthened its social impact, transforming water conservation into a collective responsibility rather than an individual burden.
WAISENSE has actively engaged stakeholders at various levels—local, regional, national, European, and international—to ensure the effective design-implementation of its water-efficient solutions. Each stakeholder's involvement has brought unique value to the project, refining the technology, expanding its impact, and aligning it with key sustainability and innovation goals.
At the EU level, WAISENSE is part of an EIT-funded initiative within the New European Bauhaus program, reinforcing its role in sustainable living and water efficiency. Our collaboration with EIT, Horizon Europe, and the European Environment Agency provides R&D support, funding, and access to an innovation network, enabling integration into future-ready infrastructures.
At the national-regional levels, we work with CDTI, the Andalusian Water Agency, and others, facilitating pilot projects in cities and smaller municipalities. Engaging local governments ensures WAISENSE aligns with regulatory frameworks and regional sustainability goals.
At the private sector level, we collaborate with construction firms (Metrovacesa, Aedas Homes, Sacyr), IoT/cloud providers (AWS, Vodafone), and R&D institutions (Polytechnic University of Milan, Smart City Clusters, Enterprise Europe Network -EEN-) to enhance product development and scalability. Our partnerships with distributors (Presto Ibérica, LG) and manufacturers (ENSELEC, S.L.) streamline production, expand market reach, and ensure HQ standards.
At the local level, WAISENSE engages users through pilot projects in public buildings (universities and city councils in Málaga, Seville, Granada, Madrid), tourist accommodations, and private enterprises, working with installers and educational institutions to drive adoption.
Internationally, WAISENSE is expanding into Latin America, the U.S., and Asia. In Mexico, we are in discussions with Coflex through our collaboration, aligning with their investment in sustainable building solutions and partnerships.
WAISENSE integrates expertise from engineering, IoT, data science, sustainability, public policy, and social sciences, ensuring a multidisciplinary and holistic approach to water efficiency.
Engineering and IoT: Our team of industrial, electronic, and mechanical engineers, in collaboration with EIT and ROCA S.A., has developed patented leak detection and water recirculation technology, capable of reducing water waste by up to 40%. With support from AWS, Vodafone, and Ideanto, we ensure real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and smart automation, improving efficiency in buildings and public infrastructures.
Data Science and AI: WAISENSE employs machine learning algorithms that analyze millions of data points daily to optimize water and energy consumption. Our integration with KNX, Alexa/Google Home, and Zigbee allows seamless smart-home compatibility, while advanced data collection enhances remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and real-time water footprint analysis, making cross-border implementation easier. Also the system’s open API allows seamless integration into both industrial automation and smart-home protocols, enabling high levels of customization.
Sustainability and policy: WAISENSE aligns with EU water conservation policies and sustainable building regulations, working with Horizon Europe, the European Environment Agency, and the Andalusian Water Agency. As part of the NEB initiative, WAISENSE contributes to designing the next generation of sustainable homes in Europe, helping reduce carbon footprints by up to 20% in water heating processes.
Urban planning and social sciences: WAISENSE collaborates with municipalities (Málaga, Seville, Madrid), policymakers, and researchers to ensure large-scale adoption. Over 30 pilot projects and use cases accomplish in public buildings, tourist accommodations, smart cities, and also laboratories of different sectors (agriculture, grey water, construction...) have provided crucial user insights.
WAISENSE combines one-off sales of products and services with a PaaS subscription model for monitoring, maintenance, and advanced features. Revenue comes from B2C, B2B and licensing agreements. KPIs: water saved (m³), leak alerts, active users, CO₂ reduced, units sold, and churn. Sales rose +34% last quarter vs. previous.

WAISENSE serves smart consumers, real estate developers, hotels, gyms, and municipalities. B2B clients seek ESG tools and smart retrofit solutions; B2C users want comfort, savings, and sustainability. Public sector clients aim to reduce water waste in housing or parks. Our model adapts to urban and rural buildings, including areas with high water stress like Southern Europe.

WAISENSE targets multiple growing markets:
- Smart Home: In Europe, the sector is growing at 23.8% YoY, with over 120 million potential B2C users.
- Sustainable Construction: 70,000+ companies in Europe are transitioning to eco-buildings, with 90% of buyers willing to pay +26% for sustainable housing.
- Hospitality & Commercial: Over 1.9 million buildings (gyms, hotels, offices), representing a €250B market opportunity.
- Water Damage Insurance: +300,000 claims/year in Europe due to water leaks, avg. €2,300 per incident.
- Public Sector & Smart Cities: Demand grows for non-invasive water-saving technologies aligned with SDGs.

This positions WAISENSE in a multi-sector market worth tens of billions across Europe and beyond.

We scale through strategic B2B partnerships (e.g., Presto Ibérica, ROCA Group, COFLEX), licensing to major OEMs (Bosch, Siemens, Hansgrohe), and a PaaS model for recurring revenue. Our Open API enables integration into third-party systems (KNX, BMS, Smart Cities), facilitating adoption. International replication has begun in Mexico and we’re targeting LATAM, Middle East, and Southern Europe. Local public-private pilots (like in Castilla-La Mancha) expand WAISENSE’s impact and validate new segments.
WAISENSE is designed for seamless scalability across diverse sectors and regions. Its modular, IoT-driven, and patent-protected technology makes it a highly transferable solution for improving water efficiency in residential, commercial, and industrial applications.
WAISENSE can be integrated into new developments via BIM modeling for pre-installed solutions, or retrofitted into existing buildings with an easy plug&play setup. It serves multiple sectors, including smart homes, touristic accomodations, hospitality, industrial buildings, and urban infrastructure, optimizing water usage and reducing waste.
The technology is adaptable to local water challenges, with custom configurations for different climates and regulatory environments. It also integrates easily with existing water and energy efficiency initiatives, offering sustainable solutions globally.
WAISENSE embraces circular economy principles through its Product-as-a-Service (PAAS) model, which reduces e-waste by enabling hardware reuse. The devices are made from recycled materials, supporting sustainability. Additionally, the refurbishment program extends product life, allowing units to be resold or redeployed.
Installation is quick and non-invasive, with remote monitoring via a cloud-based IoT platform, reducing operational costs. WAISENSE is affordable and more cost-effective than traditional systems, making it accessible for diverse markets.
It aligns with green building certifications such as BREEAM and LEED, supporting compliance with EU sustainability goals. Already implemented in European residential projects, WAISENSE is expanding into LATAM and urban water networks. Future applications include industrial water recycling, vertical farming, and precision agriculture.
WAISENSE embodies the New European Bauhaus values by combining aesthetics, sustainability, and inclusivity, offering an innovative, eco-friendly solution accessible to all.