Design of a biomass-based district heating system for a community center (Nova Scotia)

An energy efficient and environmentally sound Biomass Combustion System (BCS) and the associated HVAC systems have been designed for the proposed Pictou Landing First Nation Community Center. The impact of building envelope upgrades and control strategies on the overall building energy performance has been investigated by using a building energy simulation software. The results indicate that potential energy savings for the Community Center can be significant. With the application of high levels of insulation and reducing the temperature during unoccupied periods and in the arcade, the annual energy requirement could be reduced to less than one-third of the annual energy requirement with low levels of insulation and constant temperature setting. The individual contributors to the improvement of building energy performance have also been assessed in this study. The critical elements for the economical viability of the BCS have been determined in this study. An economics model of the BCS for the Community Center has been developed in this study. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...