UBC District Energy System – Phases 1-3, 5-9

From 2011 to 2017, UBC underwent a five-year, $88M project to replace its aging steam infrastructure with a more efficient hot water system on its Vancouver campus.  This project was broken down into nine phases and AES was involved with Phases 1-3 and 5-9 since the project first initiated.
This project involved 14 kilometers of insulated pipes, over 110 energy transfer stations in various locations across campus, and a 60-megawatt natural gas-powered Campus Energy Centre Hot Water Plant, which was completed in 2016. The natural gas boilers will have dual fuel capability with diesel for backup in case of emergency situations where natural gas gets cut off.
The overarching goals of the project were to help UBC achieve its goal of reducing its GHG emissions by 33% by the year 2015, as well as to eliminate the use of fossil fuels by 2050, and provide opportunities for the research and development of clean energy.