District Energy

2nd Quarter 1995 | Volume 80 Number 4

On the Cover

Ernie Jackson, vice president and general manager of CDH District Heating Limited, stands next to one of two natural-gas-fired reciprocating engines in the company's new cogeneration plant in Cornwall, Ontario.

Reciprocating Engines Spark District Heating in Cornwall (p14)

Ernie J. Jackson, Vice President and General Manager, CDH District Heating Limited

In December 1994, CDH District Heating Limited began delivering hot water district heating from a cutting-edge cogeneration plant to 11 institutions in the city of Cornwall, Ontario.

The system is the first of its kind in southern Canada to obtain its heat as a by-product of electrical generation.

Emergency Response Plans: A Critical Component of Effective Risk Management (p5)

Ellen Thoma, Human Resources and Administration Manager, District Energy St. Paul, Inc.

The old adage "planning for the worst, but hoping for the best" holds true when it comes to company safety and employee wen-being. In her second of three articles, Thoma points out specific areas where district energy companies may be at risk and how planning and good communication can be key risk-avoidance tools.

The Mile High City Completes a Milestone (p10)

Gary Hubel, Senior Mechanical Designer, Public Service Company of Colorado and Jan Wagner, Manager of Thermal Energy, Public Service Company of Colorado

With a newly completed airport and the first leg of a new light-rail transit system in operation, transportation is the byword in Denver. In conjunction with the light-rail project, the Thermal Energy Department of the Public Service Company of Colorado relocated and upgraded piping in a 17-square-block area. The company also installed a new one-half-mile steam line to the city's fast-growing lower downtown area.

District Energy in Canada - An Update (p12)

Michael Wiggin, P. Eng., Program Manager, Energy Systems Technology Implementation, Natural Resources Canada

From coast to coast, district energy boosters are seeing a renewed interest in the technology from Canadian communities and legislators. Several new systems have been built in the past couple of years, and the technology has been addressed in numerous provincial and community planning documents.

Lessons Learned in London, Ontario (p22)

Susan Odiseos, National Sales Director, Trigen Energy Corporation

In the six years Trigen-London has owned the steam district heating system in London, it has refurbished the distribution system, brought on new and former steam customers, constructed a new steam and chilled-water plant, built a new chilled-water distribution system and signed up new customers for chilled-water service. But the road has not been smooth.

"Smart Manholes®" Integral to University Steam Renovation (p24)

Thomas H. Durkin, P.E., Partner, Director of Engineering, Veazey, Parrott & Shoulders.

In a Utilities Master Plan prepared in 1989, Veazey, Parrott & Shoulders recommended Vincennes University in Vincennes, lnd., expand its campus steam district heating system to accommodate the new buildings spurred by increasing enrollment. The company designed a new boiler plant in an existing building, renovated portions of the piping system, added new piping and installed "smart manholes®" a recently trademarked innovation.

Benchmarking: The Key to Unlocking Performance Improvements in District Energy (p 29)

Kenneth Bruder Jr., Senior vice President, Kaiser Associates. Inc. and B. Andrew/Dye, Vice President, Kaiser Associates, Inc.

Today's district heating and cooling managers operate under an ever-increasing level of performance pressure. Deregulation, cogeneration and the trend toward outsourcing have created an unprecedented focus on cost and efficiency, while requirements for service, safety and environ mental compliance continue to intensify. The use of benchmarking can help managers strive for and achieve world-class performance to ensure their survival in this competitive environment.