Thompson Rivers University (TRU) and Creative Energy have announced a new partnership to design, build, own and operate an on-campus district energy system for TRU’s main campus in Kamloops.
The system is expected to offset more than 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over 30 years, the equivalent to planting a 4,000-acre forest, approximately 16 times the size of TRU’s Kamloops campus.
“This project is integral to TRU’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality,” said Brett Fairbairn, TRU president and vice-chancellor. “Partnering with Creative Energy, an experienced operator of district energy systems in British Columbia, is an excellent step to reaching this ambitious goal.”
The new district energy project will tailor the design and delivery of clean energy to seamlessly integrate with existing campus buildings. Low-carbon energy will be provided by a two-stage air source and water source heat pump system, powered by renewable electricity from BC Hydro.
Taking inspiration from TRU’s academic operations, the design will also include a “living lab” to provide students a glimpse into state-of-the-art energy technology in action.
Once connected to the district energy system’s low-carbon energy heat source, each building will have its existing natural-gas boilers decommissioned.
“Higher education institutions across North America have an opportunity to meaningfully respond to the realities of climate change,” said Krishnan Iyer, Creative Energy president and CEO. “We’re delighted to partner with TRU to renew their energy infrastructure, introduce district energy to the next generation of leaders and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Using innovative systems designed to match the existing campus buildings and surrounding environment, TRU’s Kamloops campus will continue to be a comfortable learning environment for both faculty and students for many years to come.”
As a regulated public utility, Creative Energy will seek approval for the project from the BC Utilities Commission. The district energy system at TRU will be completed in phases, with the first phase energized by 2024 and offsetting 95 percent of carbon emissions from the connected buildings.
