A groundbreaking international initiative, Sustainable Water-based Cooling in Megacities (SWiM), has been launched to develop next-generation cooling solutions for urban environments. The collaboration involves Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Aalborg University and Aarhus University in Denmark, with Grundfos as an industry partner. The project seeks to address the rising demand for cooling, which is expected to more than triple by 2050, by creating energy-efficient systems that could reduce energy use by up to 30%.
Grundfos, a leader in energy-efficient water solutions, will contribute its expertise to the project, which focuses on sustainable, water-based cooling systems powered by renewable energy. Bent Jensen, EVP and Divisional CEO of Commercial Building Services at Grundfos, stated, “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.”
The SWiM initiative is funded by a US$9.4m grant from the Grundfos Foundation and aligns with the climate goals of both Singapore and Denmark. Professor Madhavi Srinivasan, Executive Director of the Energy Research Institute at NTU, highlighted the importance of the collaboration, saying it will advance innovative water-based cooling solutions that support sustainable urban development.
The project invites additional industry partners to join, aiming to ensure the innovations are practical and scalable. The ambition is for half of the developed products to become viable market solutions, contributing significantly to reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions in major cities.
