DAS collaborated with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and issued an RFP to solicit the assistance of consultants who have experience with the decarbonization of district heating and cooling systems. DAS hired a consultant to develop a decarbonization study of the CAS facility to identify potential scenarios to meet the stated objectives. DAS completed the decarbonization study. The next step is to hire a professional firm to design the selected option based on a hybrid of water-source heat pumps and high-efficiency gas boilers. The selected design professional will also be asked to propose alternatives within the construction budget, delivering similar operating expenses and further reducing carbon emissions from the selected option.
The demolition of obsolete and unused equipment will begin in the spring/summer of 2025. Removing the turbines, generators and associated wiring, as well as the heat recovery steam generator, the old absorption chiller, and the old Zurn boiler, will create space for new equipment. An RFP will be issued soon for the selection of an engineering firm to design the new equipment.