Ste-Adèle, QC – It is because of a unique and exclusive environmental partnership that the civil engineering firm Équipe Laurence has just realized a premiere in Quebec, in collaboration with the city of Ste-Adèle. This premiere is largely inspired by a concept derived from geothermal energy: hydrothermal energy.
This unique technology, developed by several engineers from Équipe Laurence and its partners, for the heating and cooling of its brand new head office, would not have been possible without this win-win partnership that contributes to reducing the carbon footprint of the city and of the Équipe Laurence Campus; a real inspiration in terms of sustainable development and energy efficiency made possible thanks to this partnership that is directly in line with the environmental concerns of its population, its elected officials and its decision-makers.
“We are proud to be making a difference with this innovation, which has the merit of being highly ecological and which has the virtue of being able to be applied elsewhere, throughout the Quebec municipal world, where conditions permit, and thus contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of municipalities,” said Alexandre Latour, President and Chief Executive Officer of Équipe Laurence.
This unique technology allows the firm’s head office, and any future buildings, to be heated and cooled by drawing energy from the aerated ponds near the city of Ste-Adèle’s water treatment plant. This new concept guarantees a temperate water source year-round. This allows heat exchange with the wastewater for heating/air conditioning through two 150 mm diameter pipes installed in a directional borehole, without the said aerated ponds being in any way modified, affected or damaged by the installation of the system.
Twelve coil-type heat exchangers allow the heat from the pond to be taken in the winter to heat the building and cooled in the summer, using the same principle in reverse.
After only a few months of operation, the results far exceed initial expectations in terms of energy efficiency and dynamics. “These are clearly demonstrated results,” said Mr. Latour, adding that future buildings on the Camus Équipe Laurence site could also benefit from this same environmentally responsible technology. These results are monitored in real time thanks to a weather station installed on the roof of the main building.
In return for the energy savings, Équipe Laurence has committed to making a perpetual donation of $2,500 per year to one of the local non-profit organizations working in the territory of the City of Sainte-Adèle.
Mr. Latour concluded by saying that the Équipe Laurence Campus aims to become an inspiring civil engineering campus that capitalizes on a work ecosystem offering an exceptional work-nature balance.
After only a few months, Équipe Laurence’s technology is already producing results beyond the expectations of its design engineers.
