School researchers win two AEA grants to fast-track bold ideas!

Congratulations to our innovative researchers from the School’s Water Research Centre (WRC) and the Centre for Infrastructure, Engineering & Safety (CIES) who have successfully secured new AEA Ignite - Australia's Economic Accelerator – grants commencing in 2026.

AEA Ignite is a Federal Government fund which supports projects that build capability in nationally important sectors, aligned with the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (Priority Areas) Declaration 2023.  Its aim is to help universities fast-track bold ideas into real world solutions that strengthen national capability and drive future industries.

Our two successful projects are:

WRC researchers and colleagues: IG250200006 - Scalable, Low-Cost Technology for Renewable Biomethane Production $496,630

Associate Professor Min Zheng (left), Dr Xiaotong Cen (middle) and Dr Zhiqiang Zuo (right) from UNSW,  with Dr Ratish Permala (WA Water Corporation), and Dr Zhetai Hu (UQ).

This project aims to turn methane gas from wastewater treatment into a clean, valuable energy source called biomethane. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, and large amounts escape from wastewater systems every year. Instead of being wasted or harming the climate, this methane can be captured, cleaned, and used as renewable energy for homes, businesses, and vehicles. This project will design and test a low-cost, easy-to-use system that upgrades raw biogas into high-quality biomethane.

The system will be trialled at a working wastewater facility to prove it can reliably produce gas that meets industry standards. If successful, the technology will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut energy costs for water utilities, and create a new revenue stream from gas sales. By making biomethane production more affordable, the project will help Australia transition to a low-carbon economy, strengthen the circular economy, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Communities will benefit through cleaner air, a more sustainable energy supply, and a more resilient water sector.

CIES researchers: IG250200052 - SMARTBuild: A Scalable AI-Reinforced Digital Twin Build Platform for Modular Building and Community Infrastructure, $410,959

Lead Entrepreneur: Professor Wei Gao

Collaborating Entrepreneurs: Dr Qihan Wang and Dr Mehrisadat Makki Alamdari:

Industry Partners: Space Labs Australia, Freecity

This project aims to develop SMARTBuild, an AI-enabled digital twin platform for modular construction, focused on establishing a shared data backbone and workflow infrastructure to connect design, fabrication, installation, and lifecycle asset management. Rather than treating each project as a stand-alone delivery, the platform enables interoperable data exchange, end-to-end digital traceability, and cross-project feedback so that lessons learned can be systematically captured and reused.

As a result, SMARTBuild drives more predictable delivery, higher quality and compliance assurance, and measurable sustainability improvements across modular construction portfolios.

Congratulations to all involved!