Jones Street District Energy Feasibility Study, Qualicum Beach

The Town of Qualicum Beach, a seaside community on the east coast of Vancouver Island, will conduct a study to determine the feasibility of establishing a district energy system using a redundant water main along Jones Street. The Jones Street District Energy System would contribute to achieving emission reduction targets set out in the town’s Sustainability Plan and has been identified as a high priority project in the town’s Sustainability Action Plan. A member of Partners for Climate Protection since 2007, the town has already implemented a small-scale system that extracts heat from the water distribution mains to heat a large pump house; this study will explore the feasibility of the same concept at a much larger scale. The town will study options for using the redundant water main as a potential source of ground-temperature water for heating and cooling, using heat pump technology, such as using it to circulate water from the nearby water distribution reservoir through a heat exchanger, and back into the water distribution mains. The study will evaluate options for system configuration, including a centralized and a decentralized heat exchange system, and will develop a more detailed schematic and impact assessment of the preferred system. Detailed design and cost estimates will be completed in the second phase of the study, should the preferred system be recommended for further evaluation. The study will target a reduction in energy use of above 20% for the participating facilities, which will include the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre, the Ravensong Aquatic Centre, and potentially other buildings. Ground-source heat pumps are usually expensive to install due to the need for drilling wells or digging trenches for the pipes that carry the heat exchange fluid. The proposed project would explore an innovative system that uses the town's existing water supply as a heat source and avoid costly excavation or ground work. This study will provide valuable information to communities wishing to use their existing municipal water systems as a heat source and sink as part of a district energy system. (Project description from original funding application)