SHARC International Systems Inc. announced its Wastewater Energy Transfer ("WET") system as the core component of Creative Energy's Sen̓áḵw Energy System, the district energy system, or thermal energy network, that will be supporting the landmark Vancouver based project, Sen̓áḵw—an ambitious undertaking representing the largest real estate development in Canadian First Nations history. The SHARC WET system has been shipped to the project.

District Energy Systems (“DES”), or Thermal Energy Networks (“TEN”), provide thermal energy to multiple buildings from a central energy plant. Steam or hot water produced at the plant is transmitted 24/7 through highly insulated underground thermal piping networks. Thermal energy is transferred into and from the building’s system through energy transfer stations placed in the building, reducing mechanical room space required for housing equipment and simplifying heating and cooling systems. SHARC Energy enables DES or TENs to leverage wastewater, a forgotten resource, as a low-carbon source of thermal energy to help save energy and reduce carbon emissions on a multiple-building scale.

“We are extremely pleased to announce our partnership with Creative Energy and the Squamish Nation to participate in the rebirth of the historic village of Senakw located in the heart of Vancouver. We are developing a net- zero district heating and cooling system for Sen̓áḵw, which will contain 11 buildings and over 6,000 rental homes, designed to leverage sewer heat recovery as a low-carbon source of thermal energy by extracting heat from one of Metro Vancouver's nearby sewer trunk mains. Working with SHARC Energy, we will utilize its WET system as the core component for the Sen̓áḵw Energy System,” says Kieran McConnell, senior vice president, engineering & innovation, Creative Energy.

Sen̓áḵw is being developed by the Squamish Nation's economic development arm, Nch’ḵay̓ Development Corporation. Once fully completed, it will comprise 11 buildings featuring over 6,000 rental units across more than 3 million square feet of residential floor space. It is set to become Canada’s largest net zero operational carbon purpose-built community.

Over the next 30 years, the Sen̓áḵw Energy System is projected to reduce carbon emissions by 120,000 tonnes compared to a conventional natural-gas based system. This reduction is equivalent to planting 5.5 Stanley Parks or 165,000 acres of trees. The system will initially provide heating and cooling to each building within the development with the potential for future expansion to accommodate upcoming projects.

Significantly, this project not only represents the first private development in British Columbia to leverage Metro Vancouver’s Sewage and Waste: Heat Recovery policy, but also marks the first private residential development in Canada to harness an external sewer force main as its primary energy source.

“District energy systems powered by renewable sources have significant benefits for the community and for the climate,” said Mike Hurley, chair of the Metro Vancouver Board of Directors. “We’re pleased to provide access to the abundant heat in our sewers for this project and others like it, which will help us achieve regional carbon neutrality by 2050.”

Currently, there are several WET district energy projects in development in various stages across the lower mainland of British Columbia. Quietly, the Metro Vancouver region is becoming the Wastewater Energy Transfer capital of the world showcasing climate leadership in how other regions globally can leverage a forgotten resource like wastewater to significantly decarbonize heating and gain natural resources like fresh water used in cooling towers. As highlighted in a recent Wall Street Journal article featuring several SHARC WET projects, awareness and education around the untapped reservoir of energy available in the sewers continues to gain momentum.

“SHARC Energy is excited to be at the forefront of this transformative project,” said Michael Albertson, CEO of SHARC Energy. “The Sen̓áḵw development sets a new standard for sustainable urban living, and our WET system is pivotal in realizing this vision.”

In North America, recent years have shown the proliferation of legislation supporting DES or TEN systems. Currently, eight states, including Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Colorado, Washington, Maryland, Vermont and California, have legislation that either allows or mandates utilities to develop thermal energy network demonstration projects or pilots.