Drake Landing, once the leading solar heating community of its kind in North America, may have to rely on fossil fuels as the aging system is breaking down and may be too expensive or impossible to fix.
The 52 homeowners in the small, tight-knit community in Okotoks, south of Calgary, at one point welcomed guests from around the world to show off the groundbreaking technology. The international visitors wanted to see first-hand how energy from the hot summer sun could be collected and stored and then released in a harsh Canadian winter to heat the community’s houses.
By all accounts, Drake Landing, established in 2006, exceeded the expectations and objectives set by the project’s financial backers — which included the provincial and federal governments.
Showcase a large-scale, seasonal, solar storage system capable of supplying over 90 per cent of the space heating requirements in a residential community? Check.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional houses? Check.
Create a model that could represent the future of sustainable residential heating systems? Check.
Win multiple national and international building, environment and sustainability awards? Check. Check.
But now, the system is starting to fail, and it could be decommissioned — it’s one outcome the community faces.
System could be decommissioned
ATCO’s Tim Corboy is a spokesperson for the Drake Landing Company, which runs the community and is an equal partnership of ATCO, the Town of Okotoks, homebuilder Sterling Homes and property developer Anthem United.
He declined an interview request but responded via email to a number of questions.
Corboy said the company has been working hard over the past year and a half to find “affordable and reliable solutions to the growing system performance issues.” He said this includes trying to find parts and experts to service the 20-year-old technology.
He said a number of components have reached their end of life, including the air handler unit, the solar collectors, custom-made fittings that connect the entire system together and other unnamed replacement parts.
Corboy said the residents’ health, safety and comfort “has always been and will continue to be the primary driver in all considerations and decisions.” He said any decision will be communicated to the residents first.
Corboy said the options include:
- New communal energy system.
- Individual systems.
- New solar technology.
- Individual heat exchangers.
- Installation of…
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