Underground Thermal Networks Key To Net-Zero Emissions Goal

A path for Canadian cities to achieve their net zero ambitions can be found in the highways of large pipes running underground which connect buildings to centralized heating and cooling systems known as district energy networks.

Buildings are the third-largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption, accounting for about 18 per cent of Canada’s carbon output, including from the generation of electricity.

Updating windows, adding insulation and modernizing internal systems can make a big difference. 

But achieving large-scale emission reductions in buildings can only be attained by adopting thermal energy networks to heat and cool them, says Bruce Ander, CEO of Markham District Energy, a municipally owned network in operation since 2000.

He says district energy – something that has been used widely in Europe for at least 50 years and dates back to hot water-heated baths of ancient Rome – is the missing grid. Instead of each building having its own plants to produce hot and cold water as well as air conditioning, structures are tied to a closed-loop underground distribution system known as a thermal grid.

This article is part of our e-magazine, The Frame, where we bring you infrastructure insights from industry leaders, share the progress of our partnerships, introduce you to CIB’s community, and much more!

Continue reading the article here.

Don't forget to subscribe to receive the latest news about the CIB and The Frame!