Canada being one of the largest countries in the world is prone to extreme temperature changes over the course of the year throughout the various climate zones. With over fifty percent of the Canadian population having air conditioning in their homes, it leads to the argument of the sheer amount of energy required to run these systems costing hundreds of millions of dollars more than geographical areas with less temperature variance (Statcan.gc.ca, p.1). The energy consumption problem appears to be greatest in commercial buildings with conditioning air temperature being the simple largest energy drain. Deep water cooling appears to be a valid alternative to air conditioning or building chillers which use approximately 80 percent more energy
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However, now with the endothermic and exothermic reactions, chemical energy exchanges showcased through this technology can save a municipality millions each year. Deep water cooling is a sustainable resource due to water's unique properties. Water, which does not freeze in large bodies of water below the surface, and has a relatively high specific heat capacity creates permanent reservoirs of dense, cold water which is replenished each winter. "Because the water is from the depths of the lake (83 meters deep), it is free of odors and impurities, reducing the need to chemically treat the water for drinking" (Acciona, p.1). Deep water cooling can achieve energy savings of up to 90% compared to buildings with mechanical cooling plants which use electricity to power the entire cooling process (Canada Green Building Council, 2011). The only electricity used in deep lake water cooling is in pumping the water around the distribution link. When the water exchange is over, the slightly warm water is not rejected back into Lake Ontario but rather the heat is passed on through the water system to the city so that the lake does not heat up over time (Canada Green Building Council, 2011). Traditional water cooling plants in buildings may use up to 1.0 kilowatt of electricity per ton of cooling while deep lake water cooling uses …show more content…
Deep water cooling has become a modern mainstream form of cooling as its benefits outweigh the disadvantages of the technology. A major disadvantage of this technology is that the process is labor intensive as it must be installed at the bottom of a large body of water. Costs can also be a major issue as installing it could cost upwards of $1,400 per foot leading to the building and within the buildings infrastructure compared to the older technology which cost approximately $30 per foot to install (Belford, p.1) The fact that not every building is a candidate for the technology leads to the question regarding the time frame to actually break even with the cost of installation. The idea of removing large quantities of water, especially at a specific temperature could greatly impact the wildlife in the surrounding area. (Lovich & Ennen, p.1). Should the system not be installed correctly and the heated water enter back into the large body of water, this could greatly affect the ecosystem within the body of water and not allow the wildlife to thrive in an area which has remained constant for thousands of years. The direct societal impact is something that will not be apparent for the average person as citizens of the surrounding area will still continue to have access to
However, now with the endothermic and exothermic reactions, chemical energy exchanges showcased through this technology can save a municipality millions each year. Deep water cooling is a sustainable resource due to water's unique properties. Water, which does not freeze in large bodies of water below the surface, and has a relatively high specific heat capacity creates permanent reservoirs of dense, cold water which is replenished each winter. "Because the water is from the depths of the lake (83 meters deep), it is free of odors and impurities, reducing the need to chemically treat the water for drinking" (Acciona, p.1). Deep water cooling can achieve energy savings of up to 90% compared to buildings with mechanical cooling plants which use electricity to power the entire cooling process (Canada Green Building Council, 2011). The only electricity used in deep lake water cooling is in pumping the water around the distribution link. When the water exchange is over, the slightly warm water is not rejected back into Lake Ontario but rather the heat is passed on through the water system to the city so that the lake does not heat up over time (Canada Green Building Council, 2011). Traditional water cooling plants in buildings may use up to 1.0 kilowatt of electricity per ton of cooling while deep lake water cooling uses …show more content…
Deep water cooling has become a modern mainstream form of cooling as its benefits outweigh the disadvantages of the technology. A major disadvantage of this technology is that the process is labor intensive as it must be installed at the bottom of a large body of water. Costs can also be a major issue as installing it could cost upwards of $1,400 per foot leading to the building and within the buildings infrastructure compared to the older technology which cost approximately $30 per foot to install (Belford, p.1) The fact that not every building is a candidate for the technology leads to the question regarding the time frame to actually break even with the cost of installation. The idea of removing large quantities of water, especially at a specific temperature could greatly impact the wildlife in the surrounding area. (Lovich & Ennen, p.1). Should the system not be installed correctly and the heated water enter back into the large body of water, this could greatly affect the ecosystem within the body of water and not allow the wildlife to thrive in an area which has remained constant for thousands of years. The direct societal impact is something that will not be apparent for the average person as citizens of the surrounding area will still continue to have access to