Tropical megacities are growing, and with global warming, both temperatures and the demand for cooling are on the rise. But traditional solutions to the heat problem come at a cost: they consume vast amounts of energy and send CO₂ emissions soaring.

Now, researchers from Denmark and Singapore are joining forces to tackle the challenge. With support from the Grundfos Foundation, they will develop the intelligent, water-based cooling systems of the future — and test them directly in one of the world’s hottest megacities.

The five-year project, titled Sustainable Water-based cooling in Megacities (SWiM), brings together Aarhus University, Aalborg University, and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The Grundfos Foundation is investing DKK 60 million in the initiative — its largest single research grant to date, and the first to include an international partner.

The goal is clear: to develop energy-efficient, sustainable, and autonomous cooling systems that can operate at scale and reduce energy consumption by up to 30 percent. The systems must be resilient, able to maintain functionality despite technical faults, cyberattacks, or urban infrastructure disruptions.

“Autonomous systems are crucial — and will be further enhanced through the use of digital twins, which support transitions between operating states and optimise cooling strategies,” says Professor Peter Gorm Larsen from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Aarhus University.

Inspired by Danish district heating

In Denmark, hot water flows through district heating pipes to warm buildings. In Singapore, the principle is reversed: chilled water circulates underground to cool buildings instead.

The Marina Bay financial district is home to the world’s largest district cooling system, cutting CO₂ emissions by nearly 20,000 tonnes annually — equivalent to taking 17,000 cars off the road. But such solutions remain limited to select areas. The researchers aim to change this with new algorithms and planning tools that will enable broader deployment of the technology at district scale.

“It is extremely important that the systems we develop are autonomous and can be installed and operated without requiring top-level experts,” explains Professor Rafael Wisniewski from Aalborg University, who is coordinating the project on behalf of the Danish partners.

From lab to reality

The project is mission-driven and focused on delivering practical, scalable solutions. Singapore will serve as the testbed, with systems being trialled at room, floor, and building scale. Digital twins play a central role — simulating real environments and demonstrating how the technology can be scaled in practice.

Researchers are working on three central tracks:

• Urban planning tools to predict and manage future cooling demand
• AI-driven monitoring to detect faults and guide maintenance
• Smart algorithms to balance cooling needs, energy use, and grid stability

With Nanyang Technological University’s experience in industrial implementation and close collaboration with Grundfos and other partners, the ambition is to develop solutions that are not only scientifically robust — but also practical, scalable, and resilient in real-world conditions.

Contact

Professor Peter Gorm Larsen
Aarhus University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mail: pgl@ece.au.dk
Tel.: +4541893260