An energy-efficient cooling system developed by scientists at Northumbria College has picked up an vital innovation award within the constructing companies sector.
Optimum Air Con – an progressive cooling system “developed in response to the global climate emergency” – was awarded Innovation of the 12 months – Thermal Consolation class on the Chartered Establishment of Constructing Providers Engineers (CIBSE) Constructing Efficiency Awards 2025.
The occasion celebrated people, organisations, merchandise and initiatives that set new benchmarks for sustainability, innovation and efficiency within the constructed atmosphere.
With international air-conditioning vitality demand projected to triple by 2050 – putting additional pressure on vitality grids, notably in underdeveloped international locations – the necessity for reasonably priced, energy-efficient and environmentally pleasant options has by no means been extra urgent.
Optimum Air Con is a pioneering cooling system developed by EcoTechX, an educational start-up within the means of ‘spinning out’ from Northumbria College.
The system is named a Novel Oblique Evaporative Cooler (NIEC) and represents a major breakthrough in cooling know-how.
Conventional Mechanical Vapor Compression (MVC) air-con programs current three main challenges: excessive vitality consumption, excessive upkeep prices and use of hazardous refrigerants.
Oblique Evaporative Coolers (IECs) had been later developed as an alternative choice to MVCs, utilising water’s evaporative potential to chill provide air. Nonetheless, there are recognized limitations with present IECs, resembling poor efficiency, frequent upkeep necessities and complex manufacturing.
Dr Muhammad Wakil Shahzad, an Affiliate Professor at Northumbria College and Founding father of EcoTechX, has been working with a group of researchers to develop pioneering water and cooling know-how options for the final decade. He defined: “Our Optimum Air Con system addresses the constraints of current IEC systems through simplified design and optimised airflow.”
Optimum Air Con ensures secure indoor temperatures, sometimes round 23°C, excellent for human consolation, gear efficiency, and constructing well being. “By using a natural process to cool the air, the NIEC avoids the dryness often associated with conventional air conditioning, creating a more comfortable and healthier indoor environment”, added Dr Shahzad.
When it comes to constructing efficiency, the NIEC contributes to substantial vitality financial savings, consuming as much as 65% much less vitality in comparison with standard air-con programs. This not solely lowers working prices but in addition reduces the carbon footprint of the constructing. The system’s simplicity and robustness imply minimal upkeep, decreasing long-term operational prices and downtime. Moreover, Optimum Air Con could be built-in with present air-con programs as a pre-cooler, additional enhancing general vitality effectivity by as much as 45%.
The CIBSE Constructing Efficiency Awards judges famous that the entries this yr had been of a top quality and demonstrated innovation. Optimum Air Con was praised for its glorious efficiency which “demonstrated genuine innovation with broad applicability across property types and use cases”.
They had been additionally impressed by how its design built-in with present programs to reinforce effectivity and sustainability with out requiring a full alternative.
Dr Shahzad secured inner College funding, adopted by a Northern AcceleratorProof-of-Idea grant to develop a prototype of the Novel Oblique Evaporative Cooler (NIEC), which confirmed distinctive efficiency.
Dr Shahzad’s achievements earned him a spot in Innovate UK’s prestigious pre-accelerator programme, Innovation to Commercialisation of College Analysis (ICURe), enabling additional technological refinement and a complete market survey. Recognised as a number one air-con know-how for sustainable cooling, the NIEC undertaking received Dr Shahzad a spot on ICURE Exploit, a 12-week programme for groups really helpful for spin-out that gives intensive firm formation and enterprise progress help.
This achievement paved the way in which for a £2.8 million Ayrton Problem funding alternative to develop and scale up an progressive cooling answer for Pakistan. Moreover, the ICURe Grand Scale Kick Begin program was secured to utilise Innovate UK’s community for market growth.
Work to scale-up and commercialise the patented Optimum Air Con machine through upcoming spinout firm EcoTechX, which is able to be capable to provide communities worldwide, follows the profitable commercialisation of the group’s Solar2Water system. The system makes use of photo voltaic vitality to extract moisture from the air and switch it into clear, protected ingesting water.
Professor Louise Bracken, Professional Vice-Chancellor for Analysis and Information Alternate at Northumbria College, mentioned: mentioned: “Northumbria’s dedication to analysis excellence supplies a supportive atmosphere for the event of groundbreaking innovation. By way of collaborations just like the Northern Accelerator programme, analysis endeavours with business potential are nurtured into spinout companies, fostering financial progress whereas addressing urgent international challenges.
“The successful development of advanced, research-informed products such as those developed by Dr Shahzad and his team underscores the importance of university links with industry which drive innovation and deliver tangible solutions to real-world problems.”
Northumbria College ranked extremely for its engineering analysis energy within the Analysis Excellence Framework 2021, with 90 per cent of its research rated as both world-leading or internationally glorious.
Uncover extra about Northumbria College’s Division of Mechanical and Development Engineering by visiting www.northumbria.ac.uk/mce. To seek out out in regards to the Optimum Air Con and Solar2Water applied sciences, go to https://ecotechx.com/
