New National District Energy Working Group

Ottawa, Ontario – May 9, 2017. Today Brent Gilmour, Executive Director of QUEST, announced the establishment of a national District Energy Working Group, with the first official meeting set to take place June 1, 2017.

The announcement was made at the District Energy Workshop on the Danish District Energy experience hosted by the Danish Consulate and the Government of Canada.

Designed to build awareness and education on the importance of District Energy, the Working Group will advocate for policies, programs, and resources that support District Energy at all levels of government.

“As we develop Smart Energy Communities, District Energy is a critical component of energy distribution infrastructure that enables many communities to improve energy efficiency, enhance reliability, cut costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Brent Gilmour, Executive Director of QUEST.

Successful implementation of District Energy requires multi-stakeholder collaboration of key industry leaders. “QUEST is working with the International District Energy Association, CanmetENERGY / Natural Resources Canada, Ramboll, Reshape Strategies, ENMAX, Markham District Energy, Heritage Gas, Vancouver, and Halifax Regional Municipality, to name a few,” said Gilmour.

District Energy systems are highly efficient systems that centralize the production of heating or cooling for a community creating a network that buildings can link to. District Energy is already playing a role in integrating conventional energy networks and developing Smart Energy Communities across Canada, but there is more work to be done to ensure that supportive policies and programs are in place.

Interested in learning more about District Energy systems in Canada? Visit the QUEST Smart Energy Atlas and filter your search by energy type.