The two-day conference offered an international forum for exchanging ideas on innovative strategies around water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). High-level speakers from academia, business, politics and civil society addressed global challenges – ranging from water scarcity and financing to circular building concepts and public-private partnerships in developing regions.
Stefan Seitz, Director of Brand Management ISH, captured the significance of the event:
“The Value of Water Conference powerfully demonstrated that access to clean water and safe sanitation are global challenges that call for innovative solutions and cross-sector collaboration. At the centre of the discourse were urgent questions of water scarcity and hygiene, as well as practical solutions. Topics included technological innovation, sustainable water management, and best practices from around the world. Attendees used the various conference formats to engage deeply with experts and partners. Professional dialogue, interactive formats, and valuable networking opportunities underlined the importance of shared knowledge exchange. The conference provided a central platform for fresh impetus and practical solutions. The conversations made one thing clear: only through cooperation, innovation and sound political direction can sustainable improvements in global water supply be achieved.”
Key topics of the conference programme
The two-day expert conference brought together international professionals from industry, politics, science, development cooperation and civil society. The agenda centred on global issues in water and sanitation – from governance to building technology.
Day one focused on global frameworks and strategic levers:
- Re-evaluating water as a global economic resource
- International water governance in the context of the UN SDGs
- Financing and regulating water infrastructure
- Successful EU harmonisation of materials in contact with drinking water
- Public-private partnerships for sanitation solutions
- CSR strategies for underserved sanitation markets
- The influence of indigenous perspectives on global water policy
Day two turned the spotlight on urban resilience and forward-looking building concepts:
- Blue-green infrastructures for liveable urban districts
- Smart buildings and circular water systems
- Drinking water installations under climate change
- Circular economy in water management
- Nutrient recovery in the agri-food system
- Digital technologies linking water, energy and urban development
International thought leaders and experts on site
The conference hosted an exceptional range of international thought leaders and practitioners. Among the nearly 50 speakers were:
Henk Ovink (Global Commission on the Economics of Water), Doulaye Koné (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), Erin McCusker (LIXIL), Hans Jürgen Kalmbach (Hansgrohe), Dr Hans-Otto Pörtner (WBGU / AWI), David Viola (World Plumbing Council), Arthur Valkieser (Hydraloop), Şenol Ağaç (Sustainable Water Consulting), Dr Kristina Bognar (Schneider Electric), Carolin Stüdemann (Viva con Agua), Neil Dhot (AquaFed), Dr Herbert Dreiseitl (DREISEITLconsulting), Dr Christina Eisenbarth (HydroSKIN), Rolf Stahlhofen (Water is Right Foundation), and Yolanda Lopez-Maldonado (Indigenous Earth Systems Science).
Arthur Valkieser, CEO of Hydraloop, highlighted the value of the dialogue: "It was a great pleasure to participate in the Value of Water Conference during ISH. The discussion was lively and interesting, and the questions from the audience were an excellent contribution."
Carolin Stüdemann, Managing Director of Viva con Agua de Sankt Pauli e.V., added:
“The in-depth exchange on global water challenges was particularly inspiring. The potential and the solutions are there – and they can be realised through joint efforts involving both civil society and politics.”
Erin McCusker, Senior Vice President and Leader of SATO and LIXIL Public Partners – LIXIL, also gave a positive assessment. She emphasised the importance of cross-sector collaboration: "Taking part in the panel discussion and the Conference was an enlightening experience, showing once again that solving WASH challenges requires a concerted effort among private and public sector actors. Addressing safe water, sanitation, and hygiene is both a societal imperative and a business opportunity: by innovating to meet the needs of underserved communities today — through smarter, more sustainable, and decentralized solutions — we build the tools, systems, and resilience needed to grow stronger economies and support communities in a changing world. I appreciated the sense of urgency and bias for action among participants - I hope the conversations catalysed by the Conference yield concrete steps and partnerships towards UNWater and other rapidly approaching global milestones."
The event also welcomed representatives from international organisations such as WHO, OECD, KfW, the European Commission, GIZ, and Oikocredit, as well as start-ups and researchers from Africa, Asia and Europe. The conference was moderated by Tina Teucher, a renowned expert in CSR and sustainability. Complementing the main programme, breakout sessions offered hands-on insights into successful projects, technologies and partnerships.
Sustainability through partnership
The Value of Water Conference 2025 was made possible by a strong network of partners.
These included Euroforum (Handelsblatt Media Group) as well as supporting partners such as Hansgrohe Group, Grohe, Viega and GFA-News.de – all of whom contributed valuable expertise, networks and content to the success of the event.
Selected presentations from the Value of Water Conference will soon be available here: Presentations | Building Technologies.
The next ISH – the World’s Leading Trade Fair for HVAC and Water – will take place from 15 to 19 March 2027.
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