001-48_126_RENEW_SEPT-OCT26_PT - Flipbook - Page 38
ENERGY
WELCOMING THE WORLD
Ottawa shows off one of North America’s most ambitious
district energy modernization projects
by Rob Thornton
ECENTLY, THE WORLD came to Canada to see what’s next
in district energy. On the evening of June 23, distinguished guests from IDEA2026, the International
District Energy Association’s 117th Annual Conference, gathered at the new Cli昀昀 Energy Centre, for the
launch of the modernized National Capital Region
District Energy System (NCR DES), delivered through the
Energy Services Acquisition Program (ESAP). The facility is
built into the escarpment overlooking the Ottawa River. They
came for a ribbon-cutting, but what they got was a look at one
of the most ambitious district energy modernization investments that North America has produced in a generation.
“District energy systems are among the most e昀케cient
ways to reduce emissions in urban environments, and the
Energy Services Acquisition Program re昀氀ects our government’s commitment to build a more sustainable future
in the National Capital Region. From design and construction through long-term operations and maintenance,
this project will be a lasting source of good jobs in the
region as we continue to strengthen Canada’s low-carbon
economy.” said Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government
Transformation, Public Works and Procurement.
R
Rob Thornton is
President and CEO of the
International District
Energy Association (IDEA).
A site built to be seen
The Cli昀昀 Energy Centre isn’t hidden the way most energy
infrastructure is. It sits along one of Ottawa’s most recognizable viewsheds, with naturalized landscaping, public
access, and what may be the 昀椀rst public elevator built into
the parliamentary escarpment. The design draws on European precedent, and it’s meant to. Tomasz Smetny-Sowa,
senior director of the ESAP, explained that the goal was a
facility integrated into its community and visible within
the national capital region’s landscape, a place where visitors could learn about sustainability while standing above
the complexity running beneath their feet.
That complexity is the real story. ESAP spans two provinces and four energy centres: Cli昀昀 Energy Centre, Tunney’s
Pasture, Gatineau, and the retro昀椀tted Confederation Heights
campus—supported by a newly built pumphouse that
allows energy delivery to cross the river into Gatineau. The
38—RENEW CANADA – SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
centres are linked by more than 14 kilometres of underground piping serving some of the country’s most recognizable buildings, including the Parliament buildings, the
Supreme Court of Canada, the National Arts Centre, and
the new Ādisōke library and archives project.
Through ESAP, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has transformed a system originally built 50
to 100 years ago into a modern, e昀케cient and 昀氀exible network powered primarily by low-carbon electricity. The
modernization replaces high-temperature steam with a
low-temperature hot water system and electric chillers,
improving energy e昀케ciency, reliability and safety.
Delivered through a public-private partnership with
Innovate Energy, the $3.4-billion project includes $1.3 billion for design and construction and $2.1 billion for longterm operations and maintenance. Innovate Energy is a
consortium of partners working on the project, through a
35-year public-private partnership (P3) contract delivery
model. Partners include: PCL Constructors Canada Inc.,
PCL Investments Canada Inc., EQUANS Services Inc.
and Black & McDonald.
From steam to low-temperature water
The technical shift underneath ESAP is what makes it
matter beyond Ottawa. Lane Brennan, CEO and president of Equans North America, the primary operator of
the Cli昀昀 Energy Centre, was proud to share details about
the modernization of the facility to low-temperature hot
water distribution and electric chilling. Clean hydroelectricity from Quebec serves as the primary fuel, with
Ontario natural gas held as backup.
Cities account for roughly 70 per cent of the world’s
energy use and nearly half its greenhouse gas emissions,
and heating and cooling alone can represent more than half
of a city’s total energy load. District energy is connective
tissue for the clean energy transition, capable of integrating
geothermal, large-scale heat pumps, waste heat, and thermal storage into one shared system. IDEA was pleased to
recognize all the companies and organizations that supported this milestone project in Canada’s capital city.
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