Roberts Onsite was contracted by our parent company Black & McDonald to complete the electrical and communications requirements for the Government of Canada’s Energy Services Acquisition Program (ESAP), part of their new green initiative.
The construction includes a design and build of 4 heating and cooling plants, and 1 pump house. Inside, we are responsible for the installation of electric power distributions, process controls, and communications cabling, including the installation of over 20 000 ft of cable tray.
This is North America’s first conversion of a large network from steam to an electric cooling system and low-temperature hot water for heating, and affects over 85 parliament and other government buildings in the Ottawa/Gatineau region. This district energy system is composed of 5 central heating and cooling plants and 4 distribution networks. The construction of this project is estimated to take 5 years, with 30 years of general maintenance following.
This new energy system will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, phase out ozone depleting refrigerants, and allow residents and businesses to tap into cleaner power at the same time. It also uses the Ottawa River to help chill the water used to cool the buildings connected to the new system, a more sustainable alternative to the present system.
