The 2026 (21st) Qingdao Water Conference & Expo concluded on July 2 at the China Railway Qingdao World Expo City. The three-day event brought together more than 2,000 experts and industry representatives from China and overseas, along with over 400 water treatment brands. H2MO participated in the exhibition with its portfolio of proprietary Bio-Programmable Membrane (BPM) hollow-fiber reverse osmosis products, showcasing the company’s latest developments in advanced membrane technology.
A significant highlight for H2MO took place during the conference welcome dinner on June 29, when the Organizing Committee presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to H2MO Co-Founder and Chief Scientist Prof. Wang Rong, a Fellow of the Singapore Academy of Engineering. The award recognized Prof. Wang’s decades of contributions to membrane science, including her work in advancing membrane technologies from research and development towards practical application and commercialization.
Industry and Academia Unite to Explore the Future of Membrane Technology
The conference featured eight major thematic tracks and more than 40 specialized forums, covering key topics such as advanced membrane materials, industrial wastewater recovery and reuse, seawater desalination, smart water management, industrial water conservation, and low-carbon development. Representatives from the editorial team of the internationally recognized Journal of Membrane Science (JMS), together with experts from Tsinghua University, Hohai University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and other leading research institutions, shared their latest research and industry perspectives. Through its integrated conference-and-exhibition format, the event provided a platform for academic exchange, industry networking, project collaboration, and technology showcasing.
H2MO’s booth in the membrane technology exhibition area attracted strong interest throughout the event. The company showcased two flagship solutions: its BPM-RO Hollow-Fiber Reverse Osmosis Membrane Modules and Integrated Intelligent Water Purification Units. Featuring low-pressure operation, improved energy efficiency, enhanced fouling resistance, and lower operation and maintenance requirements, the solutions attracted visitors from EPC companies as well as the chemical, electronics, pharmaceutical, and municipal water sectors. International visitors also met with the H2MO team to explore potential partnerships and opportunities for the application of BPM bio-inspired membrane technology in overseas markets.
During the concurrent membrane technology forums, H2MO Co-Founder and Chief Scientist Prof. Wang Rong delivered a keynote presentation titled, “Pathways for Innovation and Industrial Transformation of Membrane Technology: From Laboratory to Commercial Application.” Her presentation addressed key challenges associated with conventional reverse osmosis membranes, including high energy consumption and membrane fouling, before introducing the principles and development of H2MO’s proprietary Bio-Programmable Membrane (BPM) technology. Originally developed by Prof. Wang and her research team and subsequently brought into commercial-scale production by H2MO, the technology offers a new approach to improving energy efficiency and sustainability in membrane-based water treatment. The presentation generated considerable interest and discussion among conference participants.
On July 1, the editorial team of the Journal of Membrane Science also hosted a dedicated academic exchange session. In her capacity as a member of the journal’s editorial team, Prof. Wang engaged with young researchers from across China, sharing perspectives on developments in membrane science, academic publishing, and future research directions. The session provided an opportunity to exchange ideas and support the development of the next generation of membrane researchers.
Conference Highlight: Prof. Wang Rong Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award
On the evening of June 29, the 2026 Qingdao Water Conference held its official awards ceremony during the welcome dinner. The ceremony recognized individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of the water industry, with the Organizing Committee presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to H2MO Co-Founder and Chief Scientist Prof. Wang Rong—one of the conference’s highest honors.
With more than 35 years of research experience in water treatment and membrane technology, Prof. Wang has made significant contributions to the development and advancement of membrane science. She led the research and development of H2MO’s pioneering Bio-Programmable Membrane (BPM) technology and, in collaboration with H2MO, supported its transition from laboratory research to commercial-scale production of BPM hollow-fiber reverse osmosis membranes.
The technology was developed to address key challenges associated with conventional membrane systems, including high energy consumption, membrane fouling, and high operation and maintenance costs. Today, BPM technology is being applied across a range of water treatment applications, including wastewater recovery and reuse, seawater desalination, and industrial process and high-purity water production.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes Prof. Wang’s longstanding contributions to membrane science and her efforts to bridge academic research with practical application and commercialization, advancing membrane technology from scientific innovation to real-world water treatment solutions.
High-Performance BPM Bio-Inspired Membrane: Delivering Greater Efficiency and Lower Operating Costs
Based on the pioneering Bio-Programmable Membrane (BPM) technology developed by Prof. Wang Rong and her research team, H2MO showcased two core solutions designed to address key operational and maintenance challenges in membrane-based water treatment systems:
BPM-RO HF Series Hollow-Fiber Reverse Osmosis Membrane
Enhanced fouling resistance: The bio-inspired membrane surface is designed to reduce fouling, helping to lower chemical cleaning costs by up to 85% and extend membrane service life by up to 30%.
High water flux with low-pressure operation: The hollow-fiber membrane configuration delivers 1.8–3 times higher water flux, with an operating pressure of only 2.0–7.0 bar, enabling energy savings of approximately 35%–75%, depending on operating conditions and application.
High rejection performance and simplified maintenance: Selected models achieve rejection rates of up to 99.0%. The individual membrane housing design simplifies inspection, maintenance, and replacement. The system is also designed to accommodate the dimensions of standard spiral-wound RO membrane installations, helping minimize modifications when retrofitting existing systems.
Lower overall O&M costs: The technology can reduce overall system operation and maintenance costs by approximately 15%–40% and is suitable for applications including industrial process and high-purity water production, wastewater recovery and reuse, seawater desalination, and the upgrading or retrofitting of existing water treatment plants.
BPM-RO Integrated Intelligent Water Purification Unit:
The BPM-RO Integrated Intelligent Water Purification Unit features a PLC-based touchscreen control system, enabling automated process monitoring and scheduled system flushing. Its enclosed, low-noise cabinet incorporates observation windows for convenient visual inspection, while the modular piping design supports hygienic operation and simplifies routine maintenance.
The unit is pre-assembled and tested prior to delivery, minimizing on-site installation requirements and enabling rapid commissioning once the required water and power connections are in place. With a water recovery rate of up to 80%, the system is designed to reduce water consumption and manual operating requirements. Its compact, integrated design makes it suitable for a range of applications, including laboratories, healthcare facilities, and commercial high-purity water systems.
During the exhibition, H2MO’s technical team also presented operational data and case studies from multiple projects, including comparisons of long-term electricity consumption, chemical usage, and membrane replacement costs between conventional membrane systems and BPM-based systems.
The project data highlighted the potential of BPM technology to deliver long-term energy and operational cost savings, generating strong interest among visitors and opening discussions on potential projects and future collaboration.
The 2026 Qingdao Water Conference & Expo provided H2MO with an important platform to showcase its latest developments in advanced membrane technology. It also marked a significant milestone for the company, with the Lifetime Achievement Award presented to H2MO Co-Founder and Chief Scientist Prof. Wang Rong in recognition of her longstanding contributions to membrane science and the translation of research into practical applications.
Looking ahead, H2MO will continue to build on the expertise of its research team and advance the development and application of Bio-Programmable Membrane (BPM) technology. The company remains committed to delivering energy-efficient, lower-carbon, and cost-effective membrane-based water treatment solutions for municipal, industrial, and commercial applications.
We sincerely thank all the experts, customers, partners, and industry colleagues who visited the H2MO booth and shared their insights with us. We look forward to welcoming you again at the 2027 Qingdao Water Conference!
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