NTU and Danish universities to pioneer sustainable cooling for megacities with US$9.4 million funding from Grundfos Foundation
In a five-year research initiative, NTU is partnering Aalborg University and Aarhus University in Denmark to develop intelligent and sustainable cooling systems to help cities cut energy consumption.
Representing NTU at the gift ceremony in Denmark are Chief Development Officer, See E'jin (fourth from left), and Executive Director of the Energy Research Institute @ NTU Singapore, Professor Madhavi Srinivasan.
Climate change is increasing extreme weather and temperatures, boosting demand for cooling in large cities. However, conventional cooling systems consume high energy and emit carbon, reinforcing global warming.
To break this cycle, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), Aalborg University and Aarhus University in Denmark have embarked on a new five-year research initiative, supported by US$9.4 million (DKK 60 million or S$12 million) in funding from the Grundfos Foundation.
This is the foundation’s largest individual research grant to date and the first to include a university outside Denmark.
Titled Sustainable Water-based cooling in Megacities (SWiM), the three universities will develop intelligent and sustainable cooling systems that can reduce energy consumption in large cities by up to 30 per cent, lowering both costs and carbon emissions. The project aims to create technologies that not only optimise energy consumption in the lab but also function reliably in real-world settings, even under conditions such as installation errors, cyberattacks, equipment failures, or shifting urban environments.
Mr Kim Nøhr Skibsted, CEO of Grundfos Foundation, said: “Cooling is on its way to becoming the single largest user of electricity, contributing significantly to climate change. Due to rapid demographic development in tropical and subtropical megacities, particularly among the growing middle-income population, the need for innovative cooling systems that enhance liveability while minimising environmental impact is further increased.”
Professor Madhavi Srinivasan, Executive Director of the Energy Research Institute @ NTU Singapore, said: “NTU is pleased to receive funding support from the Grundfos Foundation, marking a significant milestone in international collaboration for sustainable urban innovation. This joint effort brings together NTU’s research strengths in sustainability, engineering and artificial intelligence, with the expertise of Denmark’s universities and Grundfos, to develop advanced sustainable urban cooling solutions. This partnership is a testament to our shared commitment to support urban sustainability goals through science, technology, and international cooperation."
