National Western Center

The National Western Center Authority is leading the way for district energy systems across the country to tap wastewater as an energy input to replace fossil fuels and chart a path to a sustainable future. In an innovative approach to an operational necessity, the campus will source nearly 90 percent of its heating and cooling from a recycled source of thermal energy — a sewer pipeline that runs through the site — rather than burning fossil fuels.

The system uses both sewer-heat recovery and a district energy approach. The sewer heat recovery systems pull thermal energy from wastewater instead of burning natural gas. Using this system, the 250-acre campus will avoid emitting an estimated 2,600 metric tons of carbon (CO2) per year.

Used water that goes down the drains of our showers, sinks, tubs, dishwashers, washing machines and toilets maintains a fairly constant temperature as it travels through the sewer pipe. In a sewer heat recovery system, a heat pump is used to capture the warmth of wastewater and transfer it to a clean water distribution pipe that enters individual buildings.It is a closed-loop system, meaning the wastewater never touches the clean water. The wastewater flows back into the sewer; the heat is transferred to the clean water that is distributed to heat and cool the buildings.