Oakridge Energy District Energy System

Oakridge Energy is developing a large low-carbon district energy system to provide space heating, domestic water heating, and space cooling to meet the needs of the entire Oakridge Park development.

From a discreet, centrally-located facility below the new City Civic Centre and within the parkade of the development, the system will generate energy using a closed-loop geo-exchange system, waste heat recovery, electric chillers, and a combination of electric and natural gas boilers for peaking.

A GeoExchange system will serve the entire development, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 68% (approx. 6,200 tonnes per year) when compared to traditional solutions, and improving energy security in a manner that maximizes opportunities for its residents, businesses and institutions.

Oakridge Energy’s innovative approach will efficiently produce reliable, local energy with tangible environmental benefits for Vancouver for decades to come.

Oakridge Energy

Oakridge Energy is a Limited
Partnership of Corix Infrastructure Inc.
(Corix) and Creative Energy, established to meet the thermal energy needs of the Oakridge Park development through a low-carbon, district energy solution.

This partnership leverages the engineering expertise and operational experience of two key players in the district energy space within British Columbia.

Corix is a fully integrated, leading provider of safe, cost-effective and sustainable energy, water and wastewater utility infrastructure solutions for small- to-medium-sized communities across North America. With approximately 1,370 utility systems in operation across three Canadian provinces and 20 U.S. states, Corix has the experience required to operate systems under a variety of delivery and governance models. Corix develops, finances, constructs, owns, operates and maintains local utility infrastructure on behalf of municipal, residential, university, military and commercial customers, through regulated utility and contract (unregulated) utility business models.

Creative Energy is the owner and operator of one of the largest district energy systems in North America. Creative Energy’s original plant in downtown Vancouver now serves over 215 customers across more than 45 million square feet (sa. ft.) of connected real estate. With 50 years of operation in downtown Vancouver and a 100% reliability record over the past 25 years, Creative Energy contributes to Vancouver’s place as an environmental leader in energy efficiency. Through collaboration and partnerships, Creative Energy designs, builds, owns, operates, and maintains sustainable neighbourhood scale energy systems that support responsible development, business value, and community growth, shaping great cities.

About the Oakridge Park Development

The Oakridge Park development is a joint venture project between

Westbank Corp. and QuadReal Property Group. The Oakridge Park development is a 5 million sq. ft. project that will include:

  • 3,000 homes for nearly 6,000 residents;

  • workspace for 3,000 creative professionals;

  • a 10-acre city park;

  • one of the city’s largest community centres and daycares;

  • a performing arts academy;

  • a live music venue and numerous more informal performance spaces both within the shopping centre and within the park;

  • more than 300 retail stores; and

  • Vancouver’s second largest library.

For more information, please click here to refer to documentation submitted to the BCUC.