How Large Campuses and Facilities Can Benefit from District Energy Systems
Many campuses and large facilities are adopting district energy systems to centralize energy production, lower costs, and enhance operational efficiency across multiple buildings. But when should organizations consider implementing these systems?
In an interview with Buildings magazine, Principal George Howe discusses the advantages of district energy systems and strategies for their deployment. Using various generation methods, such as electric chillers and combined heat and power technologies, district energy consolidates energy production at a central location to provide heating, cooling, and electricity to multiple buildings via distributed piping or wiring. This can help:
- Reduce costs and enhance operational efficiency across multiple buildings.
- Improve resilience by providing backup options and the ability to disconnect from the grid.
- Support decarbonization efforts by consolidating energy production and simplifying the integration of low-emission technologies.
Higher education and corporate campuses, such as Stanford University and Microsoft’s East Redmond campus, are prime candidates for district energy, as are healthcare campuses, government complexes, manufacturing facilities, military bases, airports, and others.
“Any time there’s scale, density, and criticality, district energy can make sense,” said Howe. “If there’s a need for heating, cooling, or electricity that needs to serve more than one building, district energy is something that should be considered.”