Page 2 - Markham District Energy Year in Review 2014

Managing energy at a city level is difficult. There are many factors that are not in a city’s control including commodity pricing, weather, provincial policies, and aging infrastructure. How can the City of Markham control part of this uncertain future? Sustainability is, in part, developing strategies that provide reliability of supply, resiliency of supply, lower emissions, fuel flexibility and cost stability.
A pillar of Markham’s energy sustainability strategy is the development of district energy to serve our high density urban centres and it is City policy to prioritize district energy and CHP (combined heat and power). It’s ownership of Markham District Energy (MDE) provides the City with significant control of its future. District energy is fundamentally the creation of a thermal distribution grid. Centrally produced hot water and chilled water is distributed to buildings in the district to provide space heating and cooling, heat domestic hot water, and provides energy for process heating and cooling. Because over 60% of energy used in our urban centres relates to heating and cooling processes, producing this energy more efficiently and with cleaner fuels makes a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas and polluting emissions.
Our combined heat and power facilities located locally, in addition to producing energy more efficiently, can be a significant insurance policy by providing electricity to areas of the City when power is disrupted, such as during a severe weather event. Now in its 15th year of operations, MDE is young in district energy terms. The industry association that recognized MDE in 2013 as the International System of the Year, was founded in 1909. The University of Toronto’s district system commenced operations in 1912. Even as a young company, this Year in Review Report will show how MDE is already Growing, Performing and Making
a Difference in the City of Markham. Thank you for reading this report and your interest in Markham District Energy.
Bruce Ander, P.Eng Jack Heath President & CEO Chair
Board of Directors