We’re delighted to share the four projects selected for Round 2 of the Reef-UKC Seed Funding Programme — each addressing critical challenges in sustainable and resilient cooling.

Congratulations to all the successful applicants!
We look forward to seeing the innovations and real-world impact that emerge from these collaborations.

Project 1: Community Cooling Hubs
PI: Catarina Marques | Lead Researcher: Kristina Roszynski (London South Bank University)
Working with Newham Council, Repowering London, and Community Energy Newham, this project will explore how public buildings can serve as effective “cool places” for vulnerable communities during extreme heat events.

Project 2: Efficient Data Centre Cooling
PI: Binjian Nie | Lead Researcher: Alexander R. P. Harrison | Supported by: Gayatri Sundar Rajan (University of Oxford)
With data centre capacity set to double by 2030 and up to 40% of their energy used for cooling, sustainable solutions are critical. This project proposes to introduce a novel phase-change material (PCM) system that stores heat during the day and releases it at night to enhance efficiency and cut emissions.

Project 3: π-Cool
PI: Ali Sadaghiani | Lead Researcher: Mohammad Sajad Sorayani Bafqi (University of Birmingham)
The π-Cool project will aim to introduce a new cooling approach for electronics and data centres, where thermal management can use over 40% of total energy. Replacing energy-intensive rotary fans, it uses a flexible, non-toxic PVDF-based nanocomposite reinforced with BaTiO₃, ZnO, and upcycled graphene—offering greater durability, efficiency, and performance.

Project 4: Renewable-Powered Green Hydrogen Liquefaction
PI: Amir Amirpiran | Lead Researcher: Armin Esmaeilzadeh (Aston University)
The UK’s hydrogen demand is expected to reach 250–460 TWh by 2050, but current liquefaction methods waste around 35% of hydrogen’s energy. This project aims to develop a renewable-powered, decentralised liquefaction system using an advanced magnetic cryocooler for round-the-clock, zero-emission cooling.

These ground-breaking projects reflect the incredible talent and collaborative efforts within our network. We look forward to seeing their impactful contributions to a sustainable future.