Welcome to the first issue of the FVB Energy Canada Newsletter. It has been a long time coming, and it continues to be a work in progress. The target audiences for our newsletter are FVB Energy employees, and our valued Clients. Our objective is to provide up to date information about our growing company, its people, as well as exciting projects and new technologies. We hope that you find this newsletter valuable, and we welcome your feedback.

Message from the Chairman
Ten years from now we will enter the year 2020, which is a major milestone in the climate change agreement that world leaders established in Copenhagen. There are huge challenges that we face, but our objectives remain the same: energy conservation, energy efficiency and utilizing our valuable renewable resources. District Heating and District Cooling both play a key role. FVB Energy is one of the players that will help make the transition to a more sustainable world.

We are successful in what we are doing, and we are in an important, exciting and growing marketplace.

Bjorn Andersson, Chairman of the Board

Vancouver Sewage Recovery Heat Pumps
The South East False Creek Energy Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, utilizes mechanical vapour compression heat pumps for heat recovery from sewage that serves the base heat load for the South East False Creek development. The development served includes the Olympic Village, which will be occupied by 2,800 athletes and officials for the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics. The designed heat output of the energy centre is 26 MWt at full build out. The first sewage heat pump was installed in phase one, with room for expansion for a second heat pump that will contribute approximately 70% of the base load energy requirements for the District Energy System.

The sewage heat pumps are installed in a series counter-flow arrangement with dual helical rotary compressors. These provide the advantages of improved full load efficiency, improved part load efficiency, increased turndown, improved reliability and extended operating range. These units used are unique, and are the first of their kind in North America. The sewage pumped through the heat pump is raw sewage, meaning that it is untreated and is filtered to allow only small particles to pass through. The heat pumps work by pumping warm sewage waste through the evaporator side of the heat pump.

This heat, coupled with the mechanical compression of the refrigerant, produces hot water that is pumped through the condenser of the heat pump. The heat pump produces 80oC water on the condenser side.

The False Creek Energy Centre held its grand opening on January 14, 2010. This was a momentous occasion for the City of Vancouver, in being both a world leader in green energy, and in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

LEED

What is LEED ?

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green
Building Rating System™ recognizes excellent design, construction and operation of green buildings. The four levels of certification (certified, silver, gold and platinum) reflect overall scores based on independently reviewed ratings in five areas: sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. In Canada, the Canada Green Building Council, CaGBC is the governing body that approves projects for LEED ratings. The same progressive communities that are developing district energy projects, are also tending to demand that buildings achieve LEED certification. The application and rating system for District Thermal Energy in LEED-NC is currently still in draft format, and is with USGBC authorities for review.

In anticipation of this demand, several FVB Energy staff have become LEED® Accredited Professionals including; Christina Herbers, Sandra Yee, Sherri Wolter, Michael Conte, Bård Skagestad, Innes Hood, and Eric Soulliere. FVB Energy is also a member firm of Canada’s Green Building Council since May 2008, which solidifies FVB’s support of LEED in Canada.

Contributed by: John Stephenson, M.Sc

Green Tips
Create a green habit and use reusable cloth bags each time you go shopping. When grabbing your favorite cup of coffee, be sure to bring with you and use your reusable mug ~ both Starbucks and Tim Hortons offer a 10 cent savings each time that you do.

Check out www.greenlivingtips.com for more ideas to keep living green.