Sheridan College (Ontario)
IN-25: Innovation B

Sheridan College has built an efficient, flexible and modern district energy, which will provide all of the heating and cooling services for the Davis Campus in Brampton, ON. The central district energy centre contains combined heat and power engines, which simultaneously produce thermal and electrical energy, as well as absorption chillers and thermal storage tanks. A similar system with a central district energy centre is currently being constructed at Sheridan’s Trafalgar Campus in Oakville, ON. The energy centres will not only power the campuses, but will be the first node of what will eventually become a municipal community thermal network. By expanding its thermal systems beyond its campus borders, thus developing a local ‘thermal node’, Sheridan is acting as an early adopter/endorser towards the establishment of a more prolific (and highly efficient) thermal utility for all Brampton-based companies to utilize for heat sourcing/ejection.” Sheridan has launched discussions as to how relevant facilities can be connected to this thermal node, with a long-term view to achieving more sustainable communities. The district energy centre also provides ample education opportunities, both for cooperative education as well as curriculum course offerings and research opportunities for Sheridan students. The Davis district energy centre is encased in glass, with visibility from outside as well as internally from a classroom. For its efforts, Sheridan was presented with the Innovation Award in recognition of its Integrated Energy and Climate Master Plan (IECMP) at the Brampton Board of Trade’s Business Excellence Awards, held on May 10th, 2018. The district energy centre at the Davis Campus is a key component of the IECMP.