Buildings
Summary
When is one better than many? For campuses and large facilities, the answer may come in the form of a district energy system, where generating assets are centralized and provide cooling, heating, or electricity to multiple buildings via distributed piping or wiring.
These systems have been around for more than 100 years, explained George Howe, principal of Affiliated Engineers, Inc.—for example, New York City’s steam distribution system, which features 105 miles of pipes, has been in operation since 1882. They have since evolved to provide electricity as well, Howe said. One type of district energy system that you’ve likely heard of—the microgrid—takes the concept a step further by allowing the system to disconnect from the larger electrical grid when needed and support a campus (or just the critical facilities on the microgrid) with its own power.
District energy systems are highly flexible in terms of generation technologies at the central energy facility, said Kevin Hagerty, president and CEO of Vicinity Energy. For some buildings and campuses, this can require an unconventional approach. One Vicinity Energy system uses supply heat from waste incineration, while another incorporates used vegetable oil, Hagerty said.
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