As global temperatures rise and urban populations surge, keeping cities cool is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. But conventional cooling systems come at a steep cost: soaring energy demand, grid strain, and rising carbon emissions.
That’s why Grundfos has joined a groundbreaking international research initiative: **Sustainable Water-based Cooling in Megacities **(SWiM)—a collaboration with leading universities in Singapore and Denmark to reimagine how the world’s largest cities stay comfortable, sustainably.
Announced on 5 May 2026, this isn’t just another R&D project. It’s a strategic investment in the future of urban resilience—with the potential to reduce cooling energy consumption in megacities by up to 30%.
🎯 The Challenge: Cooling’s Growing Carbon Footprint
The numbers tell an urgent story:
| Statistic | Implication |
|---|---|
| Cooling demand expected to triple by 2050 (UN) | Rapid urbanization + rising temperatures = unprecedented load on energy systems |
| Megacities account for ~70% of global CO₂ emissions | Urban cooling is a critical lever for climate mitigation |
| Conventional AC = energy-intensive + refrigerant-dependent | High operational costs + potent greenhouse gas risks |
For city planners, building owners, and utility operators, the question isn’t whether to decarbonize cooling—it’s how to do it at scale, without compromising comfort or affordability.
🔬 The SWiM Solution: Intelligent, Water-Based Cooling
The SWiM consortium brings together complementary expertise to pioneer next-generation cooling technologies:
| Partner | Role |
|---|---|
| **Nanyang Technological University **(NTU) | Tropical climate research, materials science, urban systems modeling |
| **Aalborg University **(Denmark) | District energy integration, renewable-powered thermal systems |
| **Aarhus University **(Denmark) | Fluid dynamics, heat transfer optimization, lifecycle assessment |
| Grundfos | Pump technology, system integration, real-world deployment expertise |
Together, they’re developing smart, water-based cooling systems that:
✅ Leverage renewable energy – Solar, geothermal, or waste heat as primary power sources
✅ Optimize fluid dynamics – Advanced pump controls and hydraulic design to minimize energy use
✅ Enable district-scale integration – Connect buildings, neighborhoods, and utilities for system-wide efficiency
✅ Prioritize real-world viability – Lab innovations tested in tropical megacity conditions from day one
“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. 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.”
— Bent Jensen, EVP & Divisional CEO, Commercial Building Services, Grundfos
💰 Investment & Impact: $9.4M to Accelerate Innovation
The project is backed by a US$9.4 million grant from the Grundfos Foundation—a significant commitment to de-risk early-stage research and accelerate time-to-market for scalable solutions.
Strategic alignment with national climate targets in Singapore and Denmark ensures policy support and potential pilot pathways. And critically, the consortium is actively seeking additional industry partners to co-develop commercially viable, deployable technologies.
“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.”
— Professor Madhavi Srinivasan, Executive Director, Energy Research Institute @ NTU
🌍 Why This Matters Beyond the Lab
| Stakeholder | Value of SWiM Outcomes |
|---|---|
| City Governments | Lower peak electricity demand, reduced grid investment needs, climate adaptation progress |
| Building Owners | Lower operational costs, enhanced ESG performance, future-proofed assets |
| Utilities | Smoother load profiles, deferred infrastructure upgrades, new service opportunities |
| Technology Providers | First-mover advantage in high-growth sustainable cooling markets |
| Communities | Improved air quality, reduced heat island effect, greater climate resilience |
In short: better cooling isn’t just about comfort. It’s about equity, sustainability, and economic competitiveness in a warming world.
🔁 Open Innovation: Invitation to Collaborate
The SWiM partners are actively seeking additional industry collaborators—especially companies with expertise in:
🔹 Building automation & controls
🔹 Heat exchanger design & manufacturing
🔹 Renewable energy integration
🔹 Urban infrastructure planning
🔹 Commercialization & scale-up strategies
If your organization has capabilities that could accelerate sustainable cooling innovation, now is the time to engage.
