The relationship between people and water energy is one that is all-too short. The U.S. Department of Energy said 400 billion KW of hot water, or $40 billion, is wasted each year, showcasing just how much money and energy we let go down the drain.
HPAC Engineering’s Hal Conick interviewed Lynn Mueller, president and founder of International Wastewater Systems (IWS), based in Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada, whose company recovers heat that would normally very quickly go down the drain.
“Residential uses, like showers, laundry, and dishwashers—every day, all the heat goes down the drain,” Mueller told HPAC. “We have developed a system that will take raw sewage, clean it up, recover the heat, and reuse it. … I’m trying to make these buildings have a little longer relationship with heating and hot water, for sure.”
IWS’ Sewage SHARC (which stands for sewage heat recovery) uses raw sewage as a medium to produce hot water, heat, and cooling for large residential and commercial buildings. The sewage is used before it gets to the plant, with all of the solids removed. It is put through a heat exchanger and utilized to produce 140°F water for domestic potable use.
Read more about the SHARC, International Wastewater Systems and how it all works on HPAC Engineering, or visit IWS’ website here.