Urban Pumped-Hydro & Storage

Huge problem:

Urban buildings are major energy consumers, yet they lack efficient ways to store the renewable energy they generate locally. Traditional chemical batteries (BESS) pose significant environmental risks due to toxic materials, high replacement costs, and safety concerns like fire hazards. As cities push for decarbonization, the absence of a sustainable, circular, and safe energy storage medium for high-density residential areas remains a critical gap.

Radical solution:

The UPHS project transforms the way buildings manage energy by integrating a micro-scale pumped-hydro storage system directly into urban architecture. Instead of relying on chemicals, buildings store surplus solar energy as gravitational potential energy by moving water between tanks at different elevations.

This creates a "living building" ecosystem where energy, water, and nature loops are intertwined. By leveraging the existing structural height of urban buildings, the system provides a clean, long-lasting energy buffer that also enhances water management and supports vertical greenery, turning passive structures into active energy hubs.

Breakthrough technology:

The innovation lies in a modular, low-pressure hydro-storage architecture specifically designed for building integration. It features high-efficiency micro-turbines and a smart control system that optimizes the energy-water nexus. Unlike traditional pumped-hydro, this system uses advanced filtration and bio-integrated loops to ensure the water remains a resource for the building’s vegetation and greywater systems, all while maintaining a high round-trip energy efficiency.

Team:

Alycia Deburchgrave, Guilherme Lopes, Camilla Sandrin, Adriaan Smetsers. (Mentor: Marc Jené Vinuesa).