2021RFP0034 - Consultant, Convert Existing District Energy (DES) to Low Carbon

The university is seeking to develop a DES concept that will enable the University of Calgary to achieve its Climate Action Plan goals, including a 50% GHG emissions reduction by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. This will include a conceptual design of the system, technical and economic feasibility, phasing strategies, and scope definition of the first stage of implementation.

Conceptual design will include Class C level of cost certainty. The overall project must provide the university with the information required to decide on concrete next steps and a phased approach towards the DES decarbonization goal, and to proceed with the design of the first section of the new DES at the first available funding opportunity. 

• Investigate alternative low and zero carbon energy strategies including but not limited to geoexchange and other forms of short term and seasonal thermal energy, on-site renewable energy, and electrification of thermal energy.
• Investigate energy storage options, load sharing potential as well as the potential to integrate existing infrastructure and assets into a low carbon system.
• Identify and recommend short term operational and demand reduction strategies that will contribute to the decarbonization goal.
• Identify building and DES-level constraints that need to be addressed and propose strategies to address these constraints.
• Develop a Class C level cost estimate and identify prospective financing strategies and mechanisms for implementation.
• Identify all critical constraints to the low-carbon transition based on existing assets, considering energy supply, energy demand, GHG emissions reduction targets, while maintaining a minimum N+1 redundancy both during retrofit and subsequent operation and in the context of a changing climate.
• Develop a conceptual design and phased implementation strategy that anticipates and builds resilience to long-range climate change projections for Calgary, Alberta.