Steven Kenway

Steven has developed fresh new concepts in water-energy nexus and urban metabolism management. He has moved this into design outcomes, infrastructure plans, investment and international guidebooks for Renewable Energy Integration to Water and Wastewater Systems and Integrated Water and Energy Planning. He leads a Net Zero Water Cycle Energy use project – a new approach for urban water management which builds on his evaluating household water-energy links to create new options for cost-efficient systems. He has demonstrated how 9% of Australia’s energy use is influenced by urban water.

Steven has improved water and urban design. Since 2016, he leads a major integrating project (Water Sensitive Infill Development) for the CRC Water Sensitive Cities finding solutions to the challenge of urban infill development to overcome current urban development issues of flooding, increased heat and reduced security. Partnering with multiple stakeholders he has created new designs for urban precincts up to 10,000 people, demonstrating how cities can be more liveable, water-sensitive and energy-efficient.

Steven has influenced water security across Asia leading research for the Asian Development Bank. From 2015-2020 he has led the analysis of Urban Water Security (KD3) for the Asian Water Development Outlook - used in the Asia Pacific Water Forum, and by the United Nations. His methods have been adopted by government in a growing list of countries to guide national water investment including Thailand’s National Water Strategy.

Steven catalysed and led the creation of the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory (IELab). This game-changing e-research infrastructure (~$4M value) has now been developed, based on the Australian model in the United States, China, Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan and Sweden.

Steven has created high quality international training programs on Integrated Urban Water Management (WATR 7105) Management (Urban Water Engineering) for The University of Queensland. He has led “Urban Metabolism” course development for the International Water Centre and Griffith University since 2013 where he is an adjunct Professor. He has led development of the multi-partner Urban Design Challenge (water and energy systems integration) at UQ since 2016, and its uptake by other universities.

Major Prizes, Medals, Honours and Awards

2023 AAUT National Teaching and Learning Excellence Award (citation) for the Urban Design Challenge.

2022 National Teaching Excellence Award Australian Financial Review (first finalist) for creating the Urban Design Challenge.

2015 Shortlisted National Innovation Award (Australian). Water management for energy-efficient cities.

2015 Distinguished Early Career Research Award (DECRA) 2016-2018, and Partnerships in Reserach Excellence Award (runner up) (UQ).

2012 Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship Industry (APDI) and Deans Award for Higher Research Degree Excellence.

2011 Fulbright Scholarship from the Australian-American Fulbright Commission.