APN - IDEaS Test Drive - GREEN HEAT: Low-Carbon Energy Generation for Heating Existing Buildings

Advance Procurement Notice

Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Test Drive:

Green Heat: Low-carbon energy generation for heating existing buildings

(with Security Requirements)

Purpose of this Advance Procurement Notice

This is not a bid solicitation. This is an advance notice of a potential project with anticipated security requirements to provide interested academics, researchers, manufacturers, consultants and contractors an opportunity to organize a project team, and to allow interested firms the opportunity to apply for security clearances. Note that:

• Bids must cover the full scope of work as a single bid from the project team, inclusive of any required partnership arrangements amongst members of the bidding team. Bids for individual components of the project will not be accepted; and 
• there is no guarantee that this project will proceed.

  Description of the Project

  Under the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program, DND/CAF are seeking a large-scale, low carbon energy generation and transfer system for heating existing buildings by integrating with their current hydronic heat distribution systems. A test building has been selected in Kingston Ontario, for a Design-Build team to design and install an innovative system, in order to assess the effectiveness and the costs of these integrated technologies, with the aim of reducing the energy demand and carbon footprint of DND/CAFs infrastructure portfolio. The potential funding for the Design-Build contract component of the project has been established in the range of $5,000,000.

  Background – The Innovation For Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Program

  The IDEaS program was announced in Canada’s new defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged. It fosters open innovation to provide creative thinkers with the structure and support to encourage solutions, which will assist in solving some of Canada’s toughest defence and security challenges. In this case that challenge is a low carbon energy generation/heating system.

  Within the IDEaS Program, a Test Drive is an opportunity for innovators to offer their developed prototype solutions to such challenges. If selected, innovators can observe while DND/CAF tests and evaluates their solutions in a realistic test environment as part of a DND/CAF-designed test plan. 

  For more information on the IDEaS program please visit:

  https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/programs/defence-ideas.html

  Background – The Challenge

  The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40% from the 2005 levels by 2030 and has further committed to achieving Net-Zero emissions by 2050, in support of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Currently, 60 percent of the energy requirements in DND facilities is for space heating, of which 90 percent is generated from the burning of fossil fuels. Given that DND has over 10,000 buildings in its portfolio, the need to address the GHG emissions of these buildings is essential. The challenge is in finding ways to convert these buildings to low carbon heating without requiring a major building retrofit, which would be cost prohibitive.

  Description of the Services:

  The delivery model of the project is in development, however, the services to be procured may include: design, coordination with jurisdiction having authority (utilities, etc.), integration and installation of: energy generation systems, energy storage systems and heating systems. The potential contractual arrangement is anticipated to be Design-Build however, this will be determined at a later date.

  The Request for Proposals is expected to be advertised in the Summer of 2021.

  Project Outcomes and Constraints

  The outcomes and constraints of this project are in development, however; factors that could be considered for potential solutions may include, but are not limited to:

1. Install an integrated, low-cost, low-carbon energy generation and transfer system that will heat an existing DND building at a sufficient temperature range to ensure occupant comfort on a continuous basis (meeting the National Building Code of Canada as well as Occupational Health and Safety codes standards for federal buildings).
2. While wind or solar power are common alternatives for generating energy that is not reliant on fossil or carbon emitting fuels, DND/CAF is not prescribing what type of energy system must be used and is open to considering any alternative, provided it meets the requirements of the RFP.
3. The proposed system must connect to and use the existing building hydronic heating distribution system as the sole means to heat the building. Modifications to the existing distribution system, other than at the energy/heat transfer point to heat the hydronic system’s water, is not permitted.
4. To be eligible for this IDEaS Test Drive, the proposed energy generation/transfer technology must have already completed the technical work associated with Solution Readiness Level (SRL) 6 as defined by the IDEaS program: “Simulated Demonstration—near-end state solution is demonstrated and tested in a simulated environment.” This ensures that proposed solutions are ready for the SRL 7 or higher testing efforts that will occur during this project where the “near-end state solution is demonstrated and tested in an appropriate real-world environment.”.
5. The test building located at 11 Satellite Avenue, Kingston is 10,400 square metres in size (3 storeys, 1958 construction, offices and classrooms). Subject to confirmation in the RFP, the nature of its hydronic heating distribution systems requires the water to be heated to 82 degrees Celsius which must be maintained when the outdoor air temperature reaches -30 degrees Celsius in order to provide a sufficient level of heating. An area of land co-located with the building will be set aside for installation of the required systems. Roof top installations may also be permissible.
6. If the energy generation capacity is variable the system must include the means to smooth out such variability in order to provide uninterrupted heating to the building, with any generation variations being indiscernible to the occupants. For example, if the energy generation relies on wind or solar power, an energy storage system would likely be required to permit operations during nighttime, or calm/cloudy days.
7. Although the system will be installed in the specific test building for research purposes, DND/CAF is seeking a scalable solution that can potentially be used to heat other DND buildings:
   1. Of varying type and size, such as office buildings, warehouses, hangars, fire halls, accommodations units, armouries, etc.
   2. Hydronic fluid temperatures, at the heat transfer point, of 80-90 degrees Celsius (which varies across the other different buildings DND is seeking to modify).
   3. In Climate zones 5, 6 and 7 within Canada (as defined by ASHRAE 169-2020). 
   4. Compatible for use without unacceptable impact to operations or land use planning on CAF bases, such as can occur with electromagnetic interferences on air force bases, or systems that require excessively large areas of land.
8. DND/CAF is seeking a solution with a life expectancy that justifies the investment required to purchase and install and the system capable of operating without significant capital reinvestment (more than 20% of the original purchase and installation cost) for approximately 20+ years; 
9. A solution that requires minimal training and is deemed relatively easy to operate and maintain (without the need for advanced skillsets), and has sustainable operating and maintenance costs over its life cycle.
10. Although this project is seeking methods for the heating season, it is conceivable that such systems could also be used for energy generation during the warmer seasons. Such energy could be used for other purposes, such as building cooling, or other energy consumption requirements, perhaps unrelated to HVAC systems. While not a specific goal of this research project, the utility of such possibilities may be useful and may be further defined in the RFP stage.
11. A project team that can demonstrate the capability and capacity to design and construct a energy generation/transfer system under all applicable laws, regulations, codes and standards.

    Security Requirements

    Proponents will be required to hold a valid DESIGNATED ORGANIZATION SCREENING (DOS), issued or approved by the Canadian Industrial Security Directorate (CISD), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).

    Sub-consultants/sub-contractors/academics/researchers/manufacturers that need access to the test site, will be required to hold a valid DESIGNATED ORGANIZATION SCREENING (DOS), issued or approved by the Canadian Industrial Security Directorate (CISD), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).

Process

Consultants/Contractors/academics/researchers/manufacturers that do not meet the stipulated security requirements and that are interested in submitting a proposal for this procurement can apply for the security clearance through the Industrial Security Program (ISP). This can be done by following the procedure on DCC’s website at the following link:

 http://www.dcc-cdc.gc.ca/industry/security-requirements

Consultants/Contractors/academics/researchers/manufacturers are asked to submit their request prior to February 17, 2021 quoting the following information:

• Contract number KGN-500391628-C; and
• Level of clearance requested to be sponsored for.

  Question

  Any questions pertaining to the sponsoring process through the ISP can be addressed to:

  Telephone Number: (613) 998-8974; or

  Email address: ISP.Sponsorship@dcc-cdc.gc.ca

Any questions relating to the Project can be addressed to:

Cameron King

Team Leader, Contract Services

Defence Construction Canada

613-483-9587

Cameron.King@dcc-cdc.gc.ca