The Reason Coway Environmental Technology Institute Exhibited NASA Water Purification System

The Mecca of Eco-Friendly Appliances, 'Coway Environmental Technology Research Institute'

NASA Water Purification Filter System Installed in Coway Environmental Technology Research Center

In the lobby on the first floor of the Coway Environmental Technology Research Center located in Seoul National University Gwanak Campus Research Park, a model of the water purification system used by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is on display. This machine was installed on space stations in the 1970s to sustain life in space. It is based on RO membrane (reverse osmosis membrane) water purification technology. Coway has continuously conducted research and development to make this massive water purification system easy to use at home. The NASA water purification system model in the research center symbolizes the responsibility of being a leader in global water purification and filter technology.

On the 28th, Coway announced that at the Environmental Technology Research Center, all stages from preliminary research foundational to environmental home appliances to new product development, reliability testing, and certification are conducted in a one-stop process. The research center houses 50 laboratories and about 330 experimental devices. Durability testing, performance evaluation, environmental testing, packaging and transportation testing, electrical testing, and failure and fire analysis can all be performed here.

Coway established the Environmental Technology Research Center in 2008 to develop new products and new technologies applied to them for the global market. Water purifiers, air purifiers, bidets, mattresses, and massage chairs developed at the research center are supplied not only domestically but also to global markets including Malaysia, the United States, China, Thailand, and Indonesia.

The Environmental Technology Research Center spans two basement floors and six above-ground floors, covering a site area of approximately 1,260 pyeong (about 4,168 square meters). It is the largest comprehensive environmental technology research center in Korea. About 300 researchers are responsible for innovative product development and filter research, which is a core technology of environmental home appliances. Especially, as a water-specialized company, 50 researchers with specialized water-related technical expertise, such as those certified as water experts by the Water Quality Association (WQA) in the U.S. and water sommeliers certified by the Korea International Sommelier Association, are working here.

Coway Environmental Technology Research Institute

The Environmental Analysis Center within the Environmental Technology Research Center is where Coway’s trust in water begins. It is recognized as a drinking water quality inspection agency by the Ministry of Environment and as an international testing institution by the Korea Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (KOLAS). It has proven world-class water analysis capabilities not only domestically but also to overseas institutions. Additionally, the Water Taste Research Institute, established in 2019, verifies water taste through research and secures objective evidence to set standards for delicious water. This is why Coway has consistently held the top position in the ‘Domestic Major Water Purifier Water Taste Comparison Tasting’ conducted by the Korea International Sommelier Association.

By establishing an overseas dedicated research and development (R&D) system, Coway can also develop customized products for each country. Coway has collected and analyzed water from around the world to build a water quality database. Currently, it holds water quality data from about 2,700 sources in 41 countries worldwide. Coway’s capabilities have led to innovative product development and securing core technologies through domestic and international patents. Coway currently holds about 2,000 domestic and international patents. Including trademarks and other intellectual property rights, the total number reaches about 6,500.

A Coway official said, "The Environmental Technology Research Center serves as the mecca of environmental home appliances and plays a cornerstone role in Coway’s growth. Going forward, based on the highest level of research and development infrastructure, we will lead the global environmental home appliance market beyond Korea."