Goal of the project
The 250 Howe heat recovery project, part of Cadillac Fairview’s portfolio decarbonization, uses air-source heat pumps installed on the roof of the building to provide both heating and cooling. The new plant — 14 heat pumps totalling 980 tons of refrigerative capacity — replaced two existing air-cooled chillers with a system capable of meeting the tower’s full space heating and cooling requirements. This low-carbon heating source significantly offsets the carbon-intensive district steam traditionally used for space heating. With the chillers removed from service, the new plant had to be fully operational and capable of meeting cooling loads ahead of the summer period.
How did KCx achieve goal
Drawing on extensive experience with heat recovery plants, KCx Engineering led equipment startup and integration of the new system. The work centred on a complex hydronic plant: 14 modular heat pumps requiring coordinated startup, flow verification across the distribution system, and control sequence commissioning to bring the plant online reliably within the schedule set by the summer cooling deadline.
With 14 heat pumps sharing a common hydronic loop, correct flow distribution was critical — KCx balanced the plant and distribution system to design intent before commissioning began. Commissioning then verified the plant’s ability to operate in simultaneous heating and cooling mode, satisfying both demands of the office tower during shoulder seasons, when the heat recovery benefit that justifies the retrofit is realized.
KCx Engineering continues to support the owner and project teams in optimizing building operations.
