fuel and electricity unit costs for both
cases are the same. Previously, district
energy rates (which include not only the
costs of energy inputs but also costs of
capital, labor, maintenance, etc.) would
have been compared with the costs of in-building system energy inputs only.
The new treatment expresses a strong
preference for the district energy efficiency
calculation to be based on monitored data,
but the in-building case is strictly a theoretical modeling exercise. Assessments of
supposedly green buildings indicate that
their efficiency performance is frequently
far from the modeling. (See “Inside Insights”
column on p. 54.)
In the longer term, it is inevitable that
the fundamental structure of the LEED
standard evolves to directly address both
energy efficiency (rather than energy costs)
and greenhouse gas emissions. In this
process, it is essential that LEED also evolve
to better facilitate recognition of the greenhouse gas opportunities achievable through
district energy systems.
Mark Spurr is legislative
director of IDEA. He also is
president of FVB Energy Inc.,
a U.S. consulting firm spe-
cializing in district energy
and CHP business develop-
ment, engineering and
marketing, with offices in
Minneapolis, Minn., and Bahrain. In addition
to the U.S. office, FVB has offices in Edmonton
and Toronto, Canada, and in Stockholm, Västerås
and other cities in Sweden. Spurr represents
the United States on the executive committee
of the International Energy Agency Implementing
Agreement on District Heating and Cooling,
including Implementation of CHP. He may be
reached at mspurr@fvbenergy.com.
Column and previous columns available at
www.districtenergy.org/de_magazine.htm
Reflections from
David Woodson,
P.Eng., MBA, FMA
Director, Utilities
University of British Columbia
British Columbia
“I think the greatest difference in the
advancement of district energy over the
next 10 years will be how we respond
to the threat of global warming by mini-mizing/eliminating our carbon footprint
on our campuses. Universities have the
unique opportunity of being role models
for reducing our energy consumption.
New approaches and investments in
district energy could yield economically
viable district energy infrastructure solutions that minimize our carbon footprint.
I think IDEA could provide a key interface between best practices from around
the world and their potential application
in the university campus setting.”
IDEA’s 2009 Distribution Workshop
will take place before the Campus Energy Conference
Monday & Tuesday, February 9-10, 2009 • Sheraton Imperial Hotel • Durham, North Carolina
The workshop features a roundtable format emphasizing
peer exchange and open dialogue on the challenges of:
building, operating and maintaining reliable thermal networks
employee and public safety and emergency response
new tools and techniques for higher efficiency, etc.
technical tours of local campus systems.
Don’t miss this opportunity to network
and learn from your peers!
Visit the IDEA web site www.districtenergy.org/calendar.htm for
program updates and registration information or call (508) 366-9339.
