Enwave and University Health Network team up to control energy costs, improve reliability and support patient care

Enwave Energy Corporation (Enwave) is working with the University Health Network (UHN) to connect the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre to Enwave’s Deep Lake Water Cooling (DLWC) system. DLWC draws cold water from Lake Ontario to cool buildings in Toronto’s downtown core. A sustainable alternative to traditional cooling towers and equipment, the project will improve reliability, reduce operating costs and support better patient care.



With completion scheduled in fall 2019, this project builds on the success of other Enwave connections at UHN facilities, including the Toronto General Hospital in 2018 and the TRI-University Centre in 2009. The retrofits are expected to control operational costs while providing a resilient energy source. Over the life of the systems, this will enable UHN to redirect significant funds from energy to other priorities such as patient care.

Healthcare facilities require considerable amounts of energy to operate, for cooling, heating, lighting and equipment. With 24/7 year-round service, reliable cooling is essential to keep patients comfortable, maintain operating rooms within critical temperature bands, run MRI machines and other sensitive equipment and control humidity levels. As DLWC does not rely on chillers, the system offers operations teams more flexibility with temperature control throughout the facility, with significantly greater reliability.

Designed for the long term, the new Enwave system is readily expandable, providing a cost-effective way to future-proof facilities and reduce the capital costs of subsequent projects. The system also provides improved resilience and redundancy in the face of a changing climate and emergencies. For example, in the event of a major power outage, DLWC uses minimal power from backup generators, so cooling can continue to run with less disruption to patients or hospital activity.

Quick facts about DLWC:

• Compared to traditional cooling towers, DLWC can reduce energy use up to 80%
• Following the DLWC implementation at Toronto General Hospital:
• The peak power capacity of 3.5MW saved can power 58,000 laptops a year at full power
• The water saved can fill five Olympic swimming pools every year
• The electricity saved is enough to drive an electric car 1,000 times around the world, every year

Enwave recently announced a $100 million expansion of its DLWC system – a project that will support more hospitals, educational campuses, government buildings, commercial and residential buildings in Toronto’s downtown core.

Enwave’s continued partnership with UHN will help lead the way for other hospitals and healthcare facilities to improve resilience, control costs and meet the changing demands of both the energy and healthcare sectors.

Quote:

“Enwave’s Deep Lake Water Cooling system will make our hospitals more resilient – and the money we save on electricity, water and cooling can be spent on other priorities, including patient care.”
– Ed Rubinstein, Director, Environmental Compliance, Energy & Sustainability, UHN

“Enwave is proud of its growing partnership with the University Health Network. We will continue to work together to lead the way in providing smart, reliable energy solutions to Toronto’s downtown hospitals and healthcare facilities, with the goal of improving infrastructure, managing operating costs and supporting patient care.”
– Carlyle Coutinho, President and Chief Operating Officer, Enwave Canada

About Enwave
As the largest core-competency district energy provider in North America, Enwave Energy Corporation is an industry leader that provides innovative, sustainable energy solutions. A private corporation owned by Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and its institutional partners, Enwave has assets in Toronto, Chicago, New Orleans, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Windsor, London and Charlottetown. In each community, Enwave operates intelligent thermal energy systems that generate, store and share energy across the district. 

For more information, contact: 

Julia St. Michael
Director, Sustainability Engagement
julia.stmichael@enwave.com
416 338 8924