Timeline

  • 2013
    Project Start
  • 2015
    NDES In Service
  • 2027
    (goal of 70% low-carbon) Decarbonization of NDES
  • 2048
    (estimated) Construction Completion

The Partnership

The University of British Columbia (UBC) envisioned a sustainable community for its Vancouver campus where people can live, work, and learn. In 2015, Corix partnered with UBC to create the Neighbourhood District Energy System (NDES), aligning with UBC’s commitment to sustainable development.

The Opportunity

As part of its vision for a lower carbon future, UBC developed a Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP) to address a reduction strategy for energy use and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, with the NDES identified as a key mechanism to achieve significant carbon savings for its Wesbrook, Stadium and Acadia neighbourhoods. 

The Solution

In 2015 Corix developed the NDES following completion of the feasibility and due diligence assessments of the system.
The NDES centralizes infrastructure to deliver heating, hot water, and make-up air requirements to UBC’s residential areas. It’s structured to evolve with UBC’s growth, adding low-carbon capacity and connecting nodes to reduce carbon emissions while meeting strict environmental and cost-saving considerations that adhere to UBC’s Residential Environmental Assessment Program (REAP).

The Energy System

As part of the first phase, two high-efficiency natural gas Temporary Energy Centres (8 MWt and 6.5 MWt) currently serve the Wesbrook neighbourhood, or “node”. As the area grows denser, more low-carbon capacity will be added and nodes connected with the goal of decarbonizing the system in 2025, meeting REAP requirements.
Initial feasibility studies identified waste heat as the primary source of low-carbon energy, including waste heat from the TRIUMF physics facility, local sewers, and from cooling. A combination of air-source heat pumps, electric boilers, renewable natural gas (RNG) and waste heat recovery are currently being evaluated for implementation in 2025.