The concluding day of the International Conference on Cooling and Membrane Separations (ICMS 2026) hosted by the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, LUMS, focused on sustainability-driven innovation, with experts highlighting the urgent need to shift towards greener materials and circular industrial practices.
A key session was delivered by Prof. Suzana Nunes of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, who spoke on “Sustainable Membrane Fabrication: Green Solvents, Biopolymers and Circular Approaches.”
Prof. Suzana Nunes highlighted the environmental cost of conventional industrial practices, particularly the heavy reliance on fossil-based polymers and solvents in membrane fabrication. She noted that while such materials have enabled high-performance technologies, they are increasingly unsustainable due to their environmental impact and dependence on finite resources.
Highlighting the growing global climate crisis, she pointed to the degradation of marine ecosystems, including widespread coral bleaching, as evidence of the far-reaching consequences of industrial activity and global warming.
She stressed that transitioning to green solvents and bio-based polymers was no longer optional but necessary, both from an environmental and economic perspective. “It is not a question of if, but when industries will have to adopt safer and more sustainable alternatives,” she observed.
Prof. Nunes presented her team’s research on developing membrane fabrication techniques using natural and less toxic solvents, as well as biopolymers derived from renewable sources. She demonstrated how such approaches could achieve comparable performance to conventional methods while reducing environmental harm.
She also highlighted innovations in circular processing, where materials and by-products are reused within the system, reducing waste and improving overall resource efficiency. According to her, integrating circular principles into material science and chemical engineering is critical for long-term sustainability.
The session also addressed the challenges of scaling up green technologies, noting that while promising alternatives exist, economic feasibility and industrial adoption remain key hurdles. Participants described the talk as one of the most forward-looking sessions of the conference, linking cutting-edge material science with pressing environmental concerns.
The conference concluded with a strong emphasis on sustainability, innovation and collaboration, reinforcing the role of scientific research in addressing global environmental and industrial challenges.