Renewable energy recovery: heat recovery from sewer pipes
The project
Bordeaux City Council has completely refurbished the Museum of Bordeaux – sciences and nature (formerly the Hôtel Lisleferme, build in 1862), which is located in the Jardin Publique. The refurbishment involved the entire building and aimed to reduce energy consumption by a factor 4 and greenhouse gas emission by a factor 6: façade, insulation, interior fitting, museography, LED lighting, etc.
The inherent constraint in this type of building is the need to ensure constant temperature and humidity control to ensure that the collections are perfectly preserved. To achieve this, two heat pumps constantly produce chilled and hot water to dry the air before heating it to the right temperature.
Bordeaux City Council has opted for a process that recovers heat from the sewage network, a renewabel energy source that is permanently available. 100% of the museum’s thermal energy comes from renewable sources.
Our services
MT Partenaires Ingénierie, with GIRUS, carried out the complete project management for the recovery of heat from sewer drains between 2011 and 2018.
We also drew up the application for funding from the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME).
« We provide the surplus calories needed by the system and we draw it as a renewable resource from where we can find it as close as possible, in the sewage drains under our feet! »
Michaël TOMA, Director of MT Partenaires Ingénierie, on site at the Museum of Natural History in Bordeaux.