As part of our MIT
Living Labs &
Urban Ventures classes this past Fall 2011, we had a fascinating tour of
MIT's Cogen facility, a so-called
District Heating system paired with a
cogeneration electricity generating
gas turbine...
...which distributes the resulting heat via both steam and now hot water pipes throughout campus. By using
absorption refrigerators, chilled water is also supplied. This combined cooling, heat, and power system -- more accurately
trigeneration -- is remarkably thermally and economically efficient.
Such cogen and trigen systems are already widespread -- for example,
New York and many cities in
Sweden, Russia, Finland, and other campuses besides MIT -- and together with water supply, sewage systems,
infrastructural tunneling and
connections, and pipe-based
solid waste handling systems are fantastically interesting and relevant
District Solutions for our vital cities.
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