Energy Services Acquisition Program: Greening Canada’s Federal Heating & Cooling Systems
Ottawa, Ontario
Project Lead: Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
Project Duration: 2019 – 2026
Services: Real Property Advisory, Project Management
SPACING
New boiler plant at Confederation Heights
The Energy Services Acquisition Program (ESAP) is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the district energy system in Canada’s National Capital Region by 92%, compared to 2005 levels.
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) launched ESAP in 2009 to meet the long-term heating and cooling needs of its building portfolio in the Ottawa area. Supplying heating and cooling to 80 buildings—spanning 1.8 million m2 and serving approximately 50,000 public servants—the five aging district energy systems (DES) required rehabilitation and modernization to support the Government of Canada’s sustainability objectives under the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The DES serves many high-profile buildings, including the Parliamentary Precinct, the Bank of Canada Building, and the National Arts Centre, as well as several other publicly and privately owned properties.
The User Building Conversion Plan (UBCP)—Stage 1 of ESAP—will upgrade existing steam and high-temperature hot water (HTHW) infrastructure to more energy-efficient low-temperature hot water (LTHW) systems.
As part of a public-private partnership established in 2019 between the Government of Canada and Innovate Energy, Innovate Energy will oversee, operate, and maintain the DES for a 35-year term.
Project Goals
Project objectives include:
- Reducing the costs of heating and cooling for the federal government
- Increasing the safety and reliability of heating and cooling operations
- Improving the Government of Canada’s environmental performance
The modernized DES includes new energy centres at Cliff Street, behind the Supreme Court of Canada; at Tunney’s Pasture; and in Gatineau. The existing Central Heating and Cooling Plant (CHCP) at Confederation Heights will be modernized, while the National Research Council plant will be decommissioned.
Tiree's Role
In support of PSPC, Tiree applied a multidisciplinary and integrated approach through the provision of Project Management, Real Property Advisory, and specialist resources to support this multi-phase program.
This work involved close collaboration with provincial energy regulatory authorities, the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Privy Council Office, the municipalities of Ottawa and Gatineau, and the National Capital Commission.
Project Outcomes
The ESAP program is expected to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, supporting the Government of Canada’s greening targets.
The new energy centres at Cliff, Tunney’s Pasture, and Gatineau, along with the upgraded plant at Confederation Heights, will support the continued delivery of reliable, secure, and sustainable heating and cooling across the National Capital Area. All 80 buildings will be equipped with Smart Buildings technology to collect real-time data on energy use, monitor energy efficiency, and encourage sustainable building operations.
The Tunney’s Pasture and Cliff Energy Centres will include immersive features such as a glass curtain wall that offer views into the equipment areas, as well as a Visitor Education Centre that invites the public to learn about this state-of-the-art technology.
PSPC consulted Indigenous communities and organizations representing First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples on the program, including the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation, the Algonquins of Ontario (AOO), the Algonquin Anishnabeg Nation Tribal Council (AANTC), and the Algonquin Nation Secretariat (ANSs).
By leveraging private-sector innovation through its partnership with Innovate Energy, PSPC has strengthened the safety and reliability of its heating and cooling operations, demonstrating the Government of Canada’s commitment to greening its energy infrastructure.
A mock-up of the new Cliff Energy Centre’s upper plateau
The Tunney’s Pasture Energy Centre remodel