An Introduction to District Heating and Cooling

The provision of low carbon heating and cooling is recognised as one of the hardest challenges to solve in combating climate change. District Heating and Cooling (DH/C) only supplies 3% of UK heat demand but is projected by the Government to reach 18% by 2050. This will involve not just significant capital investment but many more educated and trained engineers and other professionals.

This reference text is designed to impart the essential knowledge needed for new entrants to make a rapid contribution to this growing industry. Part 1 provides the historical background to the development of DH/C and a description of the technology in layman's terms. Part 2 describes the engineering design of each element of the system: the heating/cooling system within the buildings, the interface equipment between the building and the heating/cooling networks, the heating/cooling network itself including issues such as pipe sizing, and the Energy Centre where the low carbon energy is produced. Part 3 considers how DH/C compares with other low carbon options and how newer technologies and techniques may be applied in changing market conditions.

This book is an ideal introduction to those new to the subject, including design engineers, local authority energy officers, property developers and energy strategists.