Construction Owners
Summary
What once posed a challenge for developers at Denver’s National Western Center has become a model for clean energy innovation.
During construction of the sprawling event complex, planners faced two massive sewer pipes that discharged into a nearby river. While developers initially sought to bury the pipes, utilities required that the wastewater release heat before entering the waterway. That constraint ultimately inspired a wastewater heat recovery system that now supplies most of the complex’s heating and cooling needs.
The system captures thermal energy from sewage to heat and cool classrooms, an equestrian center and a veterinary hospital at the National Western Center. Experts say wastewater offers a reliable and largely untapped energy source because it maintains a relatively stable temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit year-round.
“Wastewater is the last frontier of sustainable energy,” said Aaron Miller, eastern regional manager for SHARC Energy. “Even in this current environment where environmental stuff doesn’t really sell, there’s a financial benefit that we can sell to business owners.”
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