• Strategic Approach
• Recommendations
• Options
• Building Examples
• Library

Space Cooling  »  District cooling

• Overview
• Description
• Impacts
• Examples
• References

Introduction

District cooling networks, like district heating networks, are mature, commercially proven cooling solution. Interest in district cooling systems is growing because of their energy and CO₂ savings potential, as well as their ability to reduce peak electricity demand. District cooling systems can take advantage of renewable sources that aren’t always economically viable for individual buildings, such as deep sea or lake cooling, free-cooling from aquifers or abandoned mines, etc. By grouping cooling loads district cooling systems also experience more stable cooling load profiles, allowing better sizing of equipment, but also allowing more efficient operation of the cooling equipment. District cooling systems can reduce the energy required for cooling by 20% to 80%, but require relatively large, geographically concentrated cooling loads to be economically viable.