| Overall Rating | Platinum - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 88.31 |
| Liaison | James Gordon |
| Submission Date | May 31, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Thompson Rivers University
IN-27: Innovation D
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
James
Gordon Environmental Programs and Research Coordinator TRU Office of Environment and Sustainability |
Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:
To align with the university’s sustainability vision and carbon reduction goals, one of the project mandates for the new 60,000 square foot Industrial Technology Training Centre (opened May 2018) is for the building to utilize low carbon heating. Initially, the building was designed to utilize biomass heating, and to interconnect to the adjacent and existing Trades and Technology Centre. When the biomass heating was halted by city council, the source of low carbon heating for these buildings was switched from biomass to electricity, which is mostly produced via hydroelectric generation.
A centralized 720 kilowatt electric boiler plant acts as a district heating system for both the new and existing buildings. The heating strategy is utilizing the electric utility for the primary heating. The district system interconnects with the existing natural gas boiler plant in the Trades and Technology Centre, and the interconnection piping reverses the direction of flow and allows the natural gas plant to back-feed both buildings in an event of a failure of the electric plant. When compared to conventional natural gas heating, the centralized electric boiler plant reduces total carbon emissions by over 250,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide annually.
Which of the following impact areas does the innovation most closely relate to? (select up to three):
Buildings
Energy
A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise or a press release or publication featuring the innovation :
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.