Vancouver Centre – Heat Recovery Chiller Retrofit Project

GWLRA continues towards its goal of cutting its carbon footprint ^[1] in half between 2019 and 2030, in part by improving energy efficiency as a first step to decarbonization. Vancouver Centre I, a 600,000 square foot office located in downtown Vancouver, is one such example where efficiency is a stepping stone to larger cuts. Vancouver Centre uses district energy steam for heating, generated through natural gas, and so was looking for ways to reduce its reliance on steam. The property team worked with its energy management consultant to develop a phased approach to reduce steam consumption in the building, starting with the installation of a heat recovery chiller last year.

Vancouver Centre requires year-round mechanical cooling to maintain setpoint in certain areas of the building. Through the installation of a heat recovery chiller, the property team can effectively utilize waste heat from the mechanical cooling in the winter months to heat other areas of the building.

The heat recovery chiller was installed at the end of 2024 and is currently in the commissioning phase. It is expected to reduce steam consumption in the building by approximately 2,750 GJ/year, realizing $42,000 in annual savings, as well as an estimated reduction in emissions of 225 tonnes CO₂e/year. This is the equivalent of removing 52 gasoline-powered vehicles from the road for an entire year. ^[2]

The efforts to make efficiency and emissions improvements at Vancouver Centre have not gone unnoticed by the industry. Projects like these, among other operational activities, helped Vancouver Centre win BOMA BC and BOMA National awards for Renovated Building of the Year in 2024, and the GHG Performer Award at the annual HOOPP LEAP Awards. Efforts such as these by our property and asset teams across Canada are an important part of reaching our goal.