Canada Infrastructure Bank Invests $19.3 million in Toronto Western Hospital Heating Retrofit Project
October 28, 2021 | By Logan Caswell
Being called the world’s largest raw wastewater energy transfer project, it will transfer thermal energy to and from wastewater flowing in the mid-Toronto interceptor sewer.
(source: Canada Infrastructure Bank. Photo courtesy of Mark Blinch)
The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) has invested in what the company is calling the world’s largest raw wastewater energy transfer project, located at Toronto Western Hospital, part of the University Health Network (UHN).
Renewable energy company Noventa worked with UHN in addition to the support of Enbridge Gas to develop the $42.9 million project which will provide approximately 90% of the hospital’s heating and cooling requirements.
Under the terms of the agreement, CIB will invest up to $19.3 million and VanCity Community Investment Bank will invest $15.3 million.
Equity partners include Noventa and Enbridge Gas, while UHN will also contribute.
The Government of Canada is expected to provide a grant under the Environment and Climate Change Canada – Low Carbon Economy Fund.
The retrofit project will use the Huber ThermWin System and Noventa IP to transfer thermal energy to and from wastewater flowing in the mid-Toronto interceptor sewer to provide low-carbon heating and cooling to the hospital.
As a result, the hospital’s natural gas use and water consumption will be significantly reduced. Over the next 30 years, the hospital will see a cumulative reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of more than 250,000 tonnes.
Drawing on over 175 years of experience, Huber has developed and patented the Huber ThermWin system that recovers thermal energy from sewage. The self-cleaning ThermWin system diverts sewage from the sewer, screens it, pumps it through above-ground heat exchangers, and then returns it to the sewer.
Construction activities began at Toronto Western Hospital in early October.
