LOWUP · Project

Turn Waste Heat and Sewage Water Into Useful Heating and Cooling for Buildings and Factories

energyTestedTRL 6

lowup-h2020.eu

Imagine all the lukewarm heat escaping from factory pipes, sewage systems, and even the sun on a mild day — energy that's normally too weak to bother with. LOWUP figured out how to capture that low-grade heat and upgrade it into proper heating or cooling you can actually use. They built three different systems: one recovers heat from sewage water and solar panels for buildings, one provides cooling from renewable sources, and one grabs waste heat from industrial processes and pumps it back into the factory. All three were tested in a lab in Seville simulating real conditions like a water treatment plant, a car factory, and a retirement home.

By the numbers

heating and cooling systems developed (HEAT-LowUP, COOL-LowUP, HP-LowUP)

42 months

project duration

40%

EU 2030 target for greenhouse gas reduction vs 1990 levels

27%

EU 2030 target for energy efficiency improvement

consortium partners across 7 countries

71%

industry partner ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Most buildings and factories waste enormous amounts of low-temperature heat through sewage, exhaust, and industrial processes — energy that conventional systems cannot economically recover. This wasted thermal energy contributes to higher energy bills and unnecessary carbon emissions, making it harder to hit the EU's target of at least 27% energy efficiency improvement by 2030.

The solution

What was built

Three distinct heating and cooling systems: HEAT-LowUP (solar + sewage heat for buildings), COOL-LowUP (renewable cooling for buildings), and HP-LowUP (industrial waste heat recovery via heat pump). All three were demonstrated in a thermal lab emulating a water treatment plant, an automotive factory, and a retirement house, producing 15 deliverables including 2 demo environment validations.

Audience

Who needs this

Water treatment plant operators with high thermal energy costsAutomotive and manufacturing plant managers venting waste heatFacility managers of large residential or care buildings seeking lower heating/cooling billsDistrict heating network operators looking for new low-grade heat sourcesHVAC system integrators serving industrial and commercial clients

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Water and wastewater treatment

mid-size

Target: Water treatment plant operators

If you are a water treatment plant operator dealing with high energy costs from heating processes — this project developed a heat pump system (HP-LowUP) that recovers waste heat from your process water and upgrades it to useful temperatures. The system was specifically tested emulating a water treatment plant environment. With 14 consortium partners including 7 SMEs, the technology was validated under realistic conditions.

Automotive manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Automotive factory facility managers

If you are running an automotive factory where industrial processes throw off low-temperature waste heat that gets vented outside — this project built a heat pump system that captures that residual energy and feeds it back into your production line. LOWUP tested the system by emulating an automotive factory's thermal profile in their demonstration lab. The 3 heating and cooling systems developed can be adapted to different waste heat temperatures.

Building management and senior care

any

Target: Operators of large residential or care facilities

If you manage a retirement home or large residential building and want to cut heating and cooling bills — LOWUP developed two building-level systems: HEAT-LowUP uses solar energy and sewage water heat for space heating, while COOL-LowUP provides cooling from renewable and free energy sources. Both were designed for low-exergy building systems and tested under conditions emulating a retirement house.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement one of these systems?

The project data does not include specific cost figures or pricing for the three systems. ACCIONA Construccion, the coordinator, is a major construction company — suggesting the systems are designed for integration into building and industrial projects at commercial scale. Contact the consortium for cost estimates specific to your facility.

Can these systems work at industrial scale?

The 3 systems were tested in a thermal lab emulating real-world conditions including a water treatment plant, an automotive factory, and a retirement house. With 10 industry partners out of 14 total (71% industry ratio), the consortium was heavily oriented toward practical deployment. However, demonstrations were in a lab-relevant environment, not full-scale operational sites.

What is the IP and licensing situation?

The project produced 15 deliverables across 42 months. IP is likely held by the consortium led by ACCIONA Construccion (Spain). Licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly with the relevant technology owners within the 14-partner consortium spanning 7 countries.

How proven is this technology?

LOWUP delivered 2 demonstration deliverables described as tested in 'relevant environment,' which corresponds to technology readiness level 5-6. The three systems — HEAT-LowUP, COOL-LowUP, and HP-LowUP — were each validated under conditions simulating real industrial and building applications. This is beyond lab proof-of-concept but before full commercial deployment.

Which energy sources does this actually work with?

The systems are designed for low-grade thermal energy: solar thermal (via PVT panels), sewage water heat recovery, and industrial waste heat from processes. COOL-LowUP also uses renewable and free cooling sources. The key advantage is using energy sources that are typically too low-temperature to be economically worthwhile with conventional systems.

Does this comply with EU energy efficiency regulations?

The project directly targets the EU's 2030 climate goals including at least 40% greenhouse gas reduction and at least 27% improvement in energy efficiency. Based on available project data, the systems are designed to help buildings and factories meet tightening EU efficiency requirements by using currently wasted low-grade energy.

Consortium

Who built it

The 14-partner consortium spanning 7 countries (AT, CH, ES, FI, FR, IT, NL) is heavily industry-driven with 10 industry partners and only 4 research organizations — a 71% industry ratio that signals strong commercial intent. ACCIONA Construccion, the Spanish coordinator, is a major international construction firm (not an SME), meaning the technology has a credible path into real building projects. With 7 SMEs in the mix, smaller specialized companies contributed to subsystem development. The complete absence of universities is notable — this was built for deployment, not academic publication.

ACCIONA CONSTRUCCION SACoordinator · ES
FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATIONparticipant · ES
LGI SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONparticipant · FR
ENDEF ENGINEERING SLparticipant · ES
FUNDACION CARTIFparticipant · ES
FUNDACIO EURECATthirdparty · ES

How to reach the team

ACCIONA Construccion SA (Spain) — a major construction and infrastructure company. Google 'LOWUP H2020 ACCIONA coordinator contact' to find the project lead.

Order a report on this consortium See ACCIONA CONSTRUCCION SA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how LOWUP's waste heat recovery or low-exergy building systems could work in your facility? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the right technical partner from the consortium.

Order a report on this topic More in Energy & Climate