Thermal Working Group

The BUILT Cluster Thermal Energy Transfer Recovery & Recycling (Thermal) Working Group collaborates on thermal energy de-carbonization solutions for Washington’s built infrastructure.

Members of this group include representatives from SHARC Energy, King County Wastewater Treatment Division, Johnston Engineering, and dJoule.

The Thermal working group brings both public and private parties eager to investigate the application of innovative technologies and more sustainable operations through demonstration projects and alliances, such as Wastewater Energy Recovery in King County and District Energy, Deep Lake Water Cooling, and Salmon Habitat Restoration in the Lake Washington Ship Canal.

Interested? The Thermal Working Group meets on the first Thursday of the month. Join us here.

participants

dJoule (pronounced “jewel’) sparks investment in ambitious district energy solutions for industry, institutions, corporations, and campuses that are economically and strategically motivated to decarbonize their core business. We are an energy holding, development, and advisory company with broad expertise in district energy, real estate, and construction. We engage anchor customers and their communities to re-capitalize existing assets and decarbonize.

Johnston Engineering is the PNW region’s only product development engineering firm with true integrated engineering design, analysis, and fabrication.  Our approach of integrated design and analysis ensures the quickest product development cycle with the least number of prototype iterations which saves our customers time and money. We design, fabricate, and deliver your product in a timely manner and at a competitive price.

King County Wastewater Treatment Division protects water quality and prevent water pollution by providing wastewater treatment to 17 cities and 17 local sewer utilities.

SHARC Energy Systems was founded by a team of technical and engineering professionals with over 100 years of experience in the heating, ventilating and geo-exchange industries. SHARC manufactures, develops and owns thermal energy recovery systems utilizing wastewater heat exchange technology.

UMC solves the complex challenges of built environments and their systems. Originating over 100 years ago to serve the Pacific Northwest as a mechanical contractor, our firm has expanded to a vast range of comprehensive, integrated services, helping clients and partners plan, build, and manage their buildings, facilities or construction projects. As these programs present inherent technical and logistical complexity, we rise to the challenge of removing worry, delay, angst, and confusion, so you can get back to focusing on what you do best.

PROJECTS

Wastewater Energy Recovery in King County

(2022 – Present)

Led by SHARC Energy Systems, a Canadian company with manufacturing facilities in Bellingham, Washington, the project aims to expand the recovery of energy created by wastewater capture from commercial and residential buildings in King County in Washington.

One objective of the project is to secure a state regulatory definition of waste heat to be included in the state’s definition of clean energy sources. This will allow SHARC and other similar companies to be eligible for Thermal Renewable Energy Credits (T-RECs) and other benefits that come with the state’s clean energy designation. Learn more about SHARC Energy and their proprietary technology here.

District Energy, Deep Lake Water Cooling, and Salmon Habitat Restoration in the Lake Washington Ship Canal

(2022 – Present)

In partnership with dJoule, this project seeks to assess the impact of integrating deep lake water cooling in a district energy system that can simultaneously be used to improve temperature and dissolved oxygen conditions in the Lake Washington Ship Canal (LWSC).  The LWSC is a known thermal barrier that impacts the health and survival of juvenile and adult spawning salmon that pass through it during migration.

Our goal is to establish if shared infrastructure can be configured to reduce energy demand, decarbonize a district energy network, and measurably improve salmon habitat.  For environmental fluid dynamics and deep lake water cooling engineering, our team is seeking the expert support of DSI, Inc. and Makai Ocean Engineering.

LEARN MORE

THERMAL NEWS