KTH Royal Institute of Technology will lead HEAT-X, a new competence centre focused on sustainable heating and cooling solutions in Sweden. Funded by the Swedish Energy Agency, the centre will begin operations on 4 January 2027 and run until 31 December 2031. It will be led by Hatef Madani, Professor at KTH’s Department of Energy Technology.
HEAT-X brings together seven Swedish universities, approximately 40 industry partners and 10 international research institutions. Its research will focus on two areas: Buildings and Cities, and Energy-Intensive Industry and Infrastructure. The centre aims to support the development of efficient, resilient heating and cooling systems as part of the transition to fossil-free energy.
Research activities will cover next-generation heating and cooling technologies, large-scale system integration, building renovation, AI-driven control and industrial waste heat recovery. The programme will also address policy, circular business models and human behaviour. Industry participants include Copeland, Daikin Europe, Danfoss Climate Solutions, NIBE, Samsung Electronics and Thermia.
The centre has a total budget of SEK 260 million (approximately USD 27 million), including SEK 101 million allocated to KTH and SEK 102 million in industrial co-funding. HEAT-X is one of five new energy competence centres funded by the Swedish Energy Agency for 2027. KTH will also lead READY, a separate centre focused on strengthening the resilience of Sweden’s electricity grid.
“The centre creates opportunities to tackle new research challenges together with new, early-career researchers who bring fresh perspectives. It will be an exciting and rewarding journey for both KTH and the HEAT-X network”, says Hatef Madani, Professor at KTH’s Department of Energy Technology.
