Build Resilient Low Carbon Community Energy | District Energy

Resilient Low-Carbon Community Energy

Building resiliency and community at the YMCA OF GREATER TORONTO

District energy was considered during the design of the YMCA of Toronto’s newest health and fitness centre, the Cooper Koo Family YMCA in the West Don Lands of Toronto. With many new developments planned for the neighbourhood, the YMCA is engaging partners in the community to develop a resilient and low-carbon community energy system for the West Don Lands.

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Reduce Costs, Free Up Prime Real Estate and Market Climate Resiliency

District energy systems can free up developable space, increase efficiency, reduce capital and operating costs by removing the need for the design, installation and maintenance of individual heating and cooling systems.

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DISTRICT ENERGY 101

District energy involves the production and supply of thermal energy (i.e. heat and cooling) and can also provide electrical energy. Generally, a district energy system moves heat and/or cool energy from a centralized source through a network of pipes to industrial, commercial, residential or institutional buildings.

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PROCESS

Getting to District Energy Success

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CLIMATE RISK

& OPPORTUNITY

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THE

VISION

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Community Champions
& Partners

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The
Business Case

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Resilience STRATEGIES BOLSTER THE CASE FOR DISTRICT ENERGY

District energy’s decentralized and modular structure makes it well-positioned to be a big part of a resilient and low-carbon energy future. A resilience strategy can help spur the development of low-carbon and resilient district energy systems.

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TECHNOLOGY

Find the right technology mix

Solar

BIOEnergy

WIND

NATURAL GAS

GEOTHERMAL

COMBINED HEAT AND POWER (CHP)

HEAT RECOVERY

STORAGE

PIPING NETWORK

ENERGY TRANSFER STATION

SMART GRID

EV CHARGING

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CASE STUDIES

Waste sewer heat powers Vancouver’s Southeast False Creek community

The City of Vancouver used the Vancouver Olympics as a catalyst for a legacy development to rehabilitate former industrial lands with an environmentally friendly athletes village turned mix-used community. After public pushback, the projected select waste-heat recovery to power the project over the lower cost and GHG biomass option.

The Southeast False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility is the first in North America that recovers waste heat from a wastewater treatment system to supply heating energy and hot water to mixed-use buildings.

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SUPPORT

Connect with a District Energy Expert

QUEST Canada is a national non-government organization that works to accelerate the adoption of efficient and integrated community-scale energy systems in Canada. To learn more, join the ongoing district energy discussion in their District Energy Working Group.

Join the QUEST District Energy Network

The QUEST District Energy Network is a national network of system owners and operators, technology and service providers, and the public sector working to advance district energy for a sustainable and resilient energy system and low carbon economy. Become a subscriber today.