Sewage-powered energy centre serving Southeast False Creek is first of its kind in North America

“North America’s first neighbourhood energy centre which uses sewage to create enough heat and hot water for the Olympic Village and thousands of new homes and businesses in southeast False Creek was switched on Thursday,” writes Gerry Bellett in the Vancouver Sun newspaper.

“This marks the first time in North America that heat recovered from untreated waste water is being used in an urban centre. Waste water heat recovery out of this plant will account for about 70 per cent of the neighbourhood’s annual energy requirements,” stated Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson.

To read the complete story, click on Vancouver sewage-to-heat neighbourhood energy centre goes live.

About the False Creek Energy Centre

The False Creek Neighbourhood Utility is located in a brownfield development adjacent to Vancouver’s False Creek. The site was previously industrial and is being redeveloped to provide multi-family homes mixed with retail and community buildings.

The site includes the Athletes Village as well as neighbouring parcels to the South and east of the Village. It will initially be used to house athletes for the 2010 Olympic Games.

To learn more, click on False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility. Additional information may be obtained from the City’s web site .

Posted January 2010