The hope is that other industry partners will join the project with the aim to develop practical and scalable solutions that can reduce energy consumption for cooling in major cities by up to 30 percent.

As climate change accelerates, demand for cooling to make cities liveable is rising fast and is expected to more than triple by 2050 according to the UN - especially in megacities with populations exceeding ten million. The dilemma is that traditional cooling systems require enormous amounts of energy and contribute to carbon emissions, thereby increasing global warming.

A new international research initiative, Sustainable Water-based Cooling in Megacities (SWiM), aims to rethink how the world’s largest cities are cooled. SWiM is a collaborative partnership between Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Aalborg University and Aarhus University in Denmark. The initiative focuses on developing intelligent and sustainable cooling systems - primarily powered by renewable energy to minimise carbon emission.
 

Innovative solutions that can further the green energy transition

Grundfos, a global leader in energy-efficient water solutions, has just announced that the company will partner with the three globally renowned universities - with the shared commitment to develop innovative solutions that can reduce energy consumption for cooling in major cities by up to 30 percent, while lowering costs and carbon emissions.

“At Grundfos it is part of our DNA to develop new and innovative solutions that can further the green energy transition and have a lasting, positive impact, and we are immensely proud to be joining this project,” said Bent Jensen, EVP and Divisional CEO of Commercial Building Services at Grundfos.

He added: “With this collaboration we want to create cooling technologies that not only optimise energy consumption in the lab but also work in real-life settings. We see huge potential in combining Grundfos’ technological expertise and know-how with the cutting-edge research of these prestigious universities. We look forward to strengthening connections between Singapore and Denmark, as well as fostering cooperation between academic institutions and industry.”
 

A partnership that transcends borders
Denmark-based Grundfos, with its Commercial Building Services divisional headquarters in Singapore, has collaborated on multiple initiatives with academic institutions in both countries. This ongoing commitment to partnership is reflected in the enthusiasm the SWiM project has generated among the participating universities. 
 

Professor Madhavi Srinivasan, Executive Director of the Energy Research Institute at NTU said, “The participation of Grundfos in the SWiM project marks an important step forward in accelerating sustainable cooling innovation. By combining NTU Singapore's research expertise with industry leadership, this collaboration will help advance innovative water-based cooling solutions that improve energy efficiency and support more sustainable urban development in tropical megacities.”
 

Looking for partners with unique perspectives
The hope is that other industry partners will join the SWiM project, adding their unique perspectives and helping to ensure innovations will not only be effective but also practical, scalable, and easy to implement.

Jensen: “We believe we can accomplish even more by collaborating with our university partners as well as industry partners, who share our passion for sustainability and solutions that can reduce the impact of climate change.”

The shared ambition is that approximately half of the demonstrated products developed in this project will become viable products that go to market and make a real difference for people and the environment.