District Energy4th Quarter 1997 | Volume 83 Number 2COVER STORY UCLA’s Energy Systems Facility Produces Summa Cum Laude Results David N. Johnson, Director of Energy Services & Utilities, UCLA – Facilities Management The University of California, Los Angeles, combines a newly constructed Energy Systems Facility with an ongoing program of utility distribution improvements to increase efficiency, cost-effectiveness and reliability for its heating, cooling and electricity systems. Innovations include the use of landfill methane for about one-third of the energy input to the combustion turbines, and a campus-owned electricity distribution system connected to the local utility that enables reciprocity in providing emergency and supplemental power. The University will host IDEA’s College/University Conference in February 1998.
FEATURES District Energy in Canada: Public-Private Partnerships Promote Growth Michael Wiggin, P. Eng., Technology Manager, Community Energy Technology, CANMET Energy Technology Centre, Natural Resources Canada The CANMET Energy Technology Centre (CETC) has developed and managed many of Canada’s successful district energy projects and uses several selection criteria to judge a project’s feasibility. Projects most likely to succeed have a strong business component, offer significant public benefits, and can be readily divided into portions that will be privately financed and those that will garner public support.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction: Calculating Emissions Underscores Important Role of District Energy Paul Sears, Community Energy Technology, CANMET Energy Technology Centre, Natural Resources Canada Number-crunching by CETC supports claims that district energy systems can achieve significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, with modern, low-temperature-water systems providing the greatest reductions. It is clear that CO2 emissions can be reduced by hundreds of thousands of tonnes per annum if district energy systems are available and waste heat, combustion of waste material and cogeneration are used.
Minneapolis Energy Center: Building Solutions for Health Care and Education Thomas A. Davison, Director of Marketing, Minneapolis Energy Center Since its inception 25 years ago, the Minneapolis Energy Center has steadily increased the size of its district heating and cooling systems downtown Minneapolis. In January 1997, the company started service to its first satellite steam district heating system – when the switchover from another provider had to be seamless in the middle of a Minnesota winter. Both the medical center and college report the transition went smoothly and service is up and running.
On the Cover On the Cover: UCLA’s Energy Systems Facility, put into operation in January 1994, will serve as the host system for IDEA’s 11th Annual College/University Conference in February 1998. Courtesy of UCLA. Photo by Dan Little, Parsons Corp.
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