Grundfos inks MoU with Ngee Ann Polytechnic to develop smart sustainable solutions for Southeast Asia’s built environment

Bangkok, 2 June 2022: Grundfos, a global leader in advanced pump solutions and water technology, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) to co-develop energy and water efficient smart solutions that will contribute to a more resilient and sustainable built environment across Southeast Asia, through collaboration, talent development and sustainability education.

To support sustainable urbanisation in Southeast Asia, Grundfos and NP will be jointly exploring and developing smart sustainable solutions for the region’s built environment, as well as driving initiatives focused on UN Sustainability Development Goals such as SDG6 (clean water and sanitation) and SDG13 (sustainable consumption and production patterns) for climate action.

By 2030, Southeast Asia’s urban population is expected to grow by another 100 million people[1]. This growth will drive up new build demand, with nearly half of new construction globally expected to come from the region by 2040[2]. Construction comes with a significant carbon footprint – ASEAN's buildings sector accounted for 24% of energy-related carbon emissions in 2019[3]. With Southeast Asia being one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change, the sector’s sustainable ambitions are high on the region’s agenda.

The partnership will see both parties contributing complementary expertise, knowledge, and talent that will advance sustainability efforts for the commercial building industry. NP will facilitate the various touchpoints between academia and industry, while Grundfos will tap into its extensive network and industry knowledge to provide staff and students with the necessary resources and industry opportunities to successfully co-develop innovative sustainable solutions. These solutions will be subsequently implemented across the NP campus as well as Grundfos’ facilities

To achieve this, the 3-year partnership will focus on sustainability education and talent development. Grundfos and NP will look to roll out a comprehensive range of solution packages, projects, events, courses, and trainings to proactively promote smart sustainability to the industry, which includes webinar sharing sessions, seminars, and conferences.

To build talent pipelines and foster talent development, Grundfos will also be working closely with NP across various programmes such as mentorship programmes, book prizes, student projects, and internships. One such initiative includes Grundfos’ sponsorship of the annual book prizes for NP’s School of Design & Environment (DE).

Kenth Hvid Nielsen, Grundfos’ Regional Managing Director, APAC, Commercial Buildings, said, “The built environment and construction sector is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector of the economy. As Southeast Asia’s population grows and becomes increasingly urbanised, it is important to identify a sustainable way forward. With sustainability being a key part of Grundfos’ DNA, today’s partnership demonstrates our commitment to introducing cleaner, more energy efficient technologies that can help the built environment sector reduce its energy consumption and overall carbon footprint. We look forward to working with NP to achieve that, by spurring innovative thinking among our younger generations that can help advance the entire region’s sustainability trajectory.”

Mr Lim Kok Kiang, Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Principal & CEO, said, “At NP, we pride ourselves on our commitment to environmental sustainability. This is best exemplified by our award-winning green campus that harnesses smart technology and sustainable solutions provided by long-standing partners like Grundfos. We believe the built environment presents important opportunities for students to use design-thinking approach and smart technologies to better create and manage living and working spaces in a sustainable way. Working with Grundfos will empower both students and staff with the necessary resources and opportunities to innovate in the area of urban sustainability.”

As part of NP’s green campus initiatives, Grundfos has notably worked closely with NP’s Environmental & Water Technology Centre of Innovation (EWTCOI) to revisit the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system design for one of the campus buildings (Block 22), and subsequently retrofitted the system with its Distributed Pumping solution. The new solution provided sustainable cooling for the building, pushing the existing Green Mark Platinum building to achieve greater energy efficiencies, while still maintaining a cool, comfortable environment throughout the building. The project also saw a 54 per cent pump system kWh energy savings.  

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About Grundfos

We pioneer solutions to the world’s water and climate challenges and improve quality of life for people. As a global pump and water solutions company we provide expertise in energy- and water efficient solutions and systems for a wide range of applications, including water utility, water treatment, industries and buildings. https://www.grundfos.com/

About Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Ngee Ann Polytechnic started in 1963 and is today one of Singapore’s leading institutions of higher learning with over 13,000 enrolled students in over 40 courses. It seeks to develop students with a passion for learning, values for life, and competencies to thrive in a global workplace. The polytechnic also supports Continuing Education and Training (CET) through its CET Academy, which offers a wide range of part-time programmes and short courses. It works closely with industry partners to curate programmes for emerging skills, develop talent pipeline for the industries and help adult learners stay agile in today’s rapidly changing global economy. www.np.edu.sg

About Environmental & Water Technology Centre of Innovation

The mission of Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Environmental & Water Technology Centre of Innovation (EWTCOI) is to partner strategic industry sectors in applied R&D and consultancy projects to translate ideas into practical solutions or innovations for a sustainable environment. EWTCOI has a track record of developing practical and market-driven technology solutions, and effectively bridges a gap in the industry through its expertise and resources in four key focus areas: Water, Sustainable Materials, Energy Efficiency and Membrane Technology. www.np.edu.sg/ewtcoi