View a map of some of the customers we serve in Toronto

Deep Lake Water Cooling

Over the past five years, the heat generated by telecom and computing equipment coupled with the effects of global warming have created an unprecedented demand for air conditioning in the office towers of most urban areas.

Engineers and environmentalists agree that the next five years will see demand increase even further, putting even more pressure on existing electricity grids.

Thanks to Enwave and the City of Toronto, the City's downtown core now enjoys an alternative to conventional air conditioning – one that's clean, well-priced, and efficient.

Enwave's Deep Lake Water Cooling (DLWC) is the world's largest lake-source cooling system. And it's the ultimate in renewable, clean, green energy.

Reduces electricity use by up to 90% compared with conventional air-conditioning.
Eliminates 79,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually – the equivalent of 15,800 fewer cars on the streets of Toronto.
Cuts 45,000 kg of polluting CFC refrigerants.
Saves more than 61 MW of electricity annually – the equivalent power demand of 6,800 homes.
Eliminates the need to install cumbersome, expensive equipment and to dispose of it at the end of its useful life
Eliminates 145 tonnes of Nitrogen Oxide
Eliminates 318 tonnes of Sulphur Oxide
Provides fresh, potable lake water to taps across Toronto.

The prestigious list of downtown Toronto facilities committed to Enwave's Deep Lake Water Cooling include:

Air Canada Centre
MTCC North
Richmond Adelaide Complex
Adelaide Place
Royal Bank Plaza
One University Avenue
145 King Street West
Steam Whistle Brewery
Union Tower
Maple Leaf Square
Trump Tower
Element Condominium
Commerce Court
Hbc Queen Street Bay Store & Head Office Tower
151 Front Street West
Citibank Place
Bay Dundas Centre
TD Centre
Queen's Park
777 Bay Street
Metro Hall
New City Hall
Old City Hall
Metro Centre
Marriot Residence Inn Hotel
RBC Centre
Ritz-Carlton Hotel & Residences
Toronto Rehabilitation
Mount Sinai Hospital
Munich Re Centre

It's the energy of the future, today.

How does it work?

Deep Lake Water Cooling uses the icy-cold water of Lake Ontario as its renewable energy source.

During the winter, the surface of the lake cools to about 4° C. As it gets colder, the water's density increases, causing it to sink. In the summer, the surface water warms up, but it remains at the surface because it's not dense enough to sink. No matter how hot the summer, the water at the bottom remains very cold. Over the years, this cycle has created a permanent reservoir of cold water on the bottom of Lake Ontario.

Enwave has positioned three high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes along the natural slope of the lake bottom to pump water from a depth of 83 meters and transport it to the Toronto Island Filtration Plant. There, the cold water is processed and directed to Enwave's Energy Transfer Station at the city's John Street Pumping Station.

At this stage, heat exchangers facilitate the energy transfer between the cold lake water and Enwave's closed chilled water supply loop. Once the energy transfer process is complete, lake water continues on its path to the city's potable water system.

At its capacity, DLWC will provide enough cooling for 100 commercial towers

Only the coldness of the lake water is harnessed, not the actual water, so DLWC provides a truly unique, green alternative to conventional air conditioning.

Testimonials

"This is a great environmental win for the City of Toronto... By finding such a creative way to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, we are improving the air quality for Torontonians, and setting an example for the world of how to build a sustainable city." David Miller, Mayor of City of Toronto

"The Deep Lake Water Cooling project will protect the health of our citizens and reduce the need to use electricity from coal-fired power plants to cool Toronto's air." Jack Gibbons, Chair, Ontario Clean Air Alliance

"This technology is a technology that is going to be an example to the rest of the world." Robert Kennedy Jr., Environmentalist

"The government of Ontario brought this state-of-the-art technology to Queen's Park...We're pleased to see the Hudson Bay Corporation added to the growing list of buildings that have embraced this technology, as we move forward to become a cleaner, greener, more energy-efficient Ontario." Dwight Duncan, Ontario Energy Minister

To learn more about deep lake water cooling and how Enwave can benefit your building or business, contact Enwave's Business Development Services.