Wastewater Heat Recovery Feasibility Study, Connaught Eco-Neighbourhood – City of Gatineau

The City of Gatineau is interested in examining the feasibility of recovering heat from wastewater to heat buildings to be built in the Connaught Eco-Neighbourhood, including a community centre, a primary school and multi-unit residential buildings. The use of residual heat from a north-south running wastewater line on the site has the potential to reduce heating costs, along with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for these buildings. It represents an available, free, renewable and ongoing source of energy, which is not frequently utilized in Quebec. The objective of the study is to determine the best possible technology for heating the future 500 m2 community centre. The new building will be designed to optimize energy efficiency measures, and possibly achieve LEED certification. The residual heat recovery options will all be examined individually for efficiency, ecological footprint, maintenance, life cycle, cost and return on investment period. With each option, Gatineau will assess the quantity of energy recovered for heating the community centre and compare it to a community centre that does not have such an option in place. This will help identify the most efficient technology and confirm whether it has the capacity to heat the entire community centre. The study will look at the information required to install and operate the recommended option. In addition, the feasibility study through a high-level analysis will identify the overall heat recovery potential for the Portage-de-l’Outaouais school board’s future school, as well as for buyers of units in the multi-unit residential buildings to be built by Les Habitations Bouladier. The final study report will be reviewed by the Gatineau municipal council, in addition to being submitted to the Portage-de-l’Outaouais school board and the Habitations Bouladier developer. This study is consistent with the priorities set in the City of Gatineau’s environmental policy as well as the Connaught Eco-Neighbourhood charter, which specifically includes the wastewater heat recovery project. This charter is the result of a long process in which citizen involvement played a major role. (Project description from original funding application)