The City of Surrey is the recipient of a 2013 Climate & Energy Action Award for its geoexchange district energy system, a clean energy infrastructure built as a part of Surrey’s new Civic Plaza development.

“We are pleased and honoured to receive this award,” said City of Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts. “City Centre is transforming into a high-density, urban downtown core and this system is demonstration of Surrey’s commitment to innovation and best practices in sustainability for its future.”

“As a renewable clean-energy resource, the geoexchange system will reduce emissions, provide energy cost savings, and add incentive for investment in Surrey’s City Centre,” said Surrey Councillor Bruce Hayne, Chair of the City’s Environmental Sustainability Committee.

Surrey’s Civic Plaza development includes the City Centre Library, the new Surrey City Hall, and 3 Civic Plaza, a 50-storey mixed-use hotel and residential project. The district energy system, built below the development, will distribute thermal energy, in the form of steam, heated or cooled water, through a network of pipes to heat, cool and provide hot water for use in the buildings.

District energy systems help to conserve energy through improved efficiency over conventional heating and cooling systems. An additional benefit is the significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by using clean renewable energy.

The Climate & Energy Action Awards are awarded annually by the Community Energy Association to a municipality or regional district, implementing a project or program best integrating energy/climate planning into community planning processes, development, and collaborative strategies.

The City of Surrey’s award was presented Wednesday afternoon during the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) Convention in Vancouver.