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One of the buildings at the University of British Columbia harvests and produces more energy than it uses. This emissions free net positive building has earned LEED platinum certification. The building is known as the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS), it employs innovative HVAC technologies including heat scavenging from neighboring buildings, it also generates power though dual renewable energy systems (solar and geothermal).
The four-story, 65,000-sq-foot CIRS building uses both photovoltaic electric and hot water solar panels. The solar panels are also dual use as they provide both energy and shade. The geothermal field supplies heat in the winter and cooling in the summer through an 118-kW and two 196-kW heat pumps. There is a backup 200 kW electric boiler that can also be used during periods of peak-demand.
The scavenged exhaust heat from a neighboring laboratory building supplies power for the CIRS heat pumps. Excess heat from CIRS’ building heats this building during the winter.
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