WC141 MarApr 2025 - Magazine - Page 31
Noventa
is committed to environmental sustainability and innovation in
healthcare infrastructure,” says Michael Kurz, UHN’s Director
of Environmental Compliance, Energy, and Sustainability. “By
harnessing energy from wastewater, the system provides a costeffective, long-term solution that helps stabilize energy expenses
while contributing to broader climate action efforts.”
Dennis Fotinos, Noventa CEO and Founder, highlights the
broader impact of the initiative. “We see ourselves as a disruptive
force for positive change. This project is a testament to what can
be done when we reimagine energy and think outside the box.”
Sustainability was a central consideration, balancing
environmental benefits with economic viability and social
impact. The project reduces carbon emissions, cuts hospital
operating costs by over $600,000 annually, and has created
over 630 person-years of employment. It has also resulted in
permanent high-paying jobs in the companies involved in the
project.
The project’s cost totaled $42.9 million, financed by Noventa,
with contributions from technology, development, and financial
partners, as well as support from the City of Toronto. Despite
the scale and complexity of the undertaking, it was successfully
executed through extensive collaboration.
One notable milestone was the delivery of clean heat to
UHN’s Toronto Western patient care facility, which began in
November 2024. This marked a significant step forward in the
hospital’s journey toward sustainability.
With the project located at one of the most congested
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
intersections of the city—home to a hospital, community center,
library, and residential housing—careful planning was required to
accommodate stakeholders. “A lot of changes and modifications
were made to accommodate stakeholders. The current location has
proven to be the right place for the infrastructure to be built,” says
Fotinos.
Challenges were inevitable in this first-of-its-kind project.
Construction hurdles were compounded by the complexities
of designing the system, including replacing heating coils in air
handling units and integrating new infrastructure across Toronto
Western Hospital and the Krembil Discovery Tower. Meticulous
scheduling ensured minimal service interruptions.
Despite these challenges, early performance data is promising.
“While most challenges encountered have been typical of large
infrastructure projects, the hospital is still in the process of
commissioning the system and gathering long-term operational
data to fully assess the benefits,” says Kurz. “At this stage, the
project’s benefits are aligning with expectations.”
In Canada, there is a significant drive for hospitals to
decarbonize their operations. Wastewater energy transfer is an ideal
solution for facilities with 24/7 energy demands, making hospitals
well-suited for this technology. “The hospital, from a wastewater
perspective, is an ideal customer because they have 24/7 operations
with large energy loads,” says Quinn.
The success of this initiative has reinforced UHN’s commitment
to bold climate action and demonstrated the feasibility of
integrating innovative clean energy solutions in health care. “It
has also sparked discussions with other district energy providers,
opening doors for additional sustainability-driven projects that
could further reduce emissions across UHN sites,” adds Kurz.
Looking ahead, Noventa and UHN plan to expand the system
further. “There’s an expansion plan; there’s a new patient care tower
being built at Toronto Western Hospital, and Noventa is currently
in discussions with UHN to provide heating and cooling to that
new building,” says Fotinos. Future expansions may replace the
hospital’s existing steam plant with additional patient care facilities
powered by wastewater energy.
The surrounding community is also expanding, presenting
further opportunities for Noventa to extend the system to provide
environmentally friendly heating and cooling to new residential
buildings. “The whole area in the next 10-15 years will be
transformed,” says Fotinos. “What we’ve done is future-proofed
all the developments in that area by making wastewater energy
available to them as a viable environmental and economic option.”
This innovative wastewater energy project at Toronto Western
Hospital sets a new standard for decarbonizing facilities while
delivering economic and social benefits. It demonstrates the power
of bold, innovative solutions in driving a greener future. “I hope
we inspire people to think outside of the box and look at ways to
do things that are unconventional in order to actually fight climate
change,” says Fotinos.
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