A different kind of pipe

The Community Energy Initiative has several strategies to reduce our community’s energy consumption and green house gas emissions.

One is to take advantage of thermal energy by growing a network to distribute thermal energy throughout the city.

Ground has broken on the first stages of the Galt District Energy System that will begin to serve properties in the downtown.  Appropriately, this system has its beginnings in the location where John Galt felled the first tree to found Guelph.

The following photos show the crane bringing in the heating and cooling equipment that is being installed in the Sleeman Centre along with the pipes that will serve the immediate neighbourhood.  Of note to taxpayers, the required upgrade of the heating and cooling equipment – because of this partnership – is not being funded from municipal property taxes.  The new equipment will also bring operating efficiencies to the Sleeman Centre.

In addition to the financial, energy efficiency and environmental benefits of thermal energy systems, they support the local economy by keeping money in Guelph and create local jobs. They also increase Guelph’s energy security by reducing our reliance on the provincial transmission grid.

This project is owned by Envida, a subsidiary of Guelph Hydro Inc. and is developed in partnership with the City of Guelph.