Feasibility and utilization benefits of deep-lake water cooling (DLWC) for Ryerson University (RU) buildings have been studied by using energy modeling tools. DLWC systems can substantially contribute to energy conservation and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction when it is substituted for conventional chillers for cooling of buildings. A commercially available energy simulation software tool was used to simulate, hour by hour, the remote chilled-water requirement of the majority of RU buildings located in downtown Toronto, ON.

Since a DLWC system is already installed to serve Rogers Business Building, which constitutes 9% of the total RU campus building area, implementation of such a system in the majority or all Ryerson buildings will require minimal efforts in terms of initial cost. The analysis showed that up to 89.2% of electricity for air conditioning of RU buildings could be reduced. In addition, the total amount of GHG emissions reduced by approximately 89% in the amount of 1940 metric tons per year.