RenewABILITY Energy Inc, manufacturer of the Power-Pipe® Drain Water Heat Recovery (DWHR) system, Reid’s Heritage Homes and Union Gas has completed the installation of 250 Power-Pipe DWHR Systems at the University of Waterloo, Columbia Lake Village North Community (CLV), Ontario.
Reid’s Heritage Homes, in partnership with the University of Waterloo, maintains the university’s residences and has been installing DWHR systems in many Energy Star and LEED-certified residential communities and retrofit projects in London, Guelph and Port Elgin. DWHR preheats cold intake water with warm or hot drain water prior to entering a standard water heater or on-demand water system in residential and multi-residential applications, significantly reducing water heating costs and energy usage.
Natural Resources Canada reports that water heating is the second largest energy use in Canadian single and multi-residential properties. The 20-30 per cent reduction in water heating translates to a six to nine per cent reduction in total energy usage.
The typical Power-Pipe® DWHR unit will reduce GHG emissions by about 200 kilograms/person/year when displacing natural gas water heating. In a four-person home, that amounts to a reduction of almost one ton of green house gases per year per Canadian household. For the University of Waterloo units, the impact will be even greater, noted University of Waterloo graduate and RenewABILITY Energy Inc President and CEO Gerald Van Decker.
The University of Waterloo, Reid Heritage Homes, and RenewABILITY Energy are planning a ribbon cutting ceremony in January at the University Townhouse Community.
