Dream
The Zibi Community Utility (ZCU) is a District Energy System relying on effluent energy recovery from local Kruger Products plant for heating, and the Ottawa River for cooling. Rathco ENG has been providing detailed engineering and technical support through construction since 2018. ZCU is integral to helping Zibi attain its One Planet Living goals of ensuring its energy needs are satisfied on a net-zero carbon basis. While many district thermal systems exist in Canada, Zibi will be the first in North America to use post-industrial effluent energy recovery in a master-planned community.
Project Stats
Of Development
Of Pipe Laid
Of Infrastructure Construction
Ambient System
As the Gatineau portion of the district energy system is in a different electricity market, the design adapted to optimize the economics. An ambient temperature district energy system allows distributed heat pumps at each building to pull and push thermal energy as they need. The ultra-low temperatures of the ambient district energy system allow for a simpler piping design of uninsulated HDPE. Rathco ENG provided district energy piping design support to a local civil engineering firm licensed in the province of Quebec to support the ZCU development.
Full Service
Identical to the Ottawa portion of the ZCU, as construction and commissioning of the Gatineau ZCU district energy system has progressed, so has Zibi's needs. Rathco ENG has been providing continued services in areas related to emergency planning measures, operations and maintenance of the district energy distribution system, and phasing strategies to enable building construction schedules and district energy infrastructure schedules to coordinate.