Hansgrohe Water Symposia 2008 – 2014

Seven events, dozens of experts and one special guest: water

As a “Green Company”, Hansgrohe has been producing water-saving and energy-saving products, been committed to sustainable management and actively participated in social discourse for decades. Klaus Grohe, son of company founder Hans Grohe, launched the Hansgrohe Water Symposium in 2008. Since then, international water experts have been regularly meeting up at the company headquarters in Schiltach in the Black Forest.

The scarcer water resources become, the more urgently sustainable solutions need to be found. Fascinating topics related to water conservation or climate change are therefore on the Symposium's agenda. Here, the latest research findings are presented and innovative ideas for the future are exchanged. Experts from a wide range of different fields considered water from every conceivable perspective. Ecological, cultural or socio-political. Historical, global, idealistic or philosophical. Scientific, popular, sporting or humorous.

Topics of the Hansgrohe Water Symposia 2008 – 2014:

• 2014: “Water Technology of the Future – What developments are being made with regard to domestic water technology?”
• 2013: “City Water – Water City – The role of water in global urban planning”
• 2012: “What water needs – Ways of achieving a water-friendly economy”
• 2011: “Touched by water – What connects people to water”
• 2010: “Our daily water – Fascinating element and eternal cycle”
• 2009: “What is good water?”
• 2008: “Water – Element and mystery”

Spectacular, unforgettable, wonderful

Over the years, hundreds of onlookers – a mixture of experts in the trade, media representatives and interested non-professionals – have followed controversial podium discussions and exciting talks, and been invited by dozens of experts to take part and learn in workshops. For instance, the contribution from Dr. Andreas Fath, former head chemist at Hansgrohe SE, proved quite spectacular. As part of a sensational research project, the university professor from Furtwangen had swum the entire length of the Rhine. He presented his fascinating achievement during the Water Symposium 2014, along with the results of his comprehensive Rhine analysis. Prof. Klaus Töpfer was also unforgettable in 2010, with his criticism of the wasteful usage of water. In his talk, the former Federal Minister for the Environment urged us to confront the impending global water crisis, using long-term perspectives coupled with rapid pragmatic action. Over the years, the fun programme of accompanying events has been top quality and quite wonderful at times. For example, when the sounds of water music rang out, depicting aquatic architecture and photography – or when the team from Hansgrohe's spray research experimented with this precious resource.