In the early 1990s, FVB took the district cooling idea from the U.S. and introduced it in Sweden. Back then, few people thought that district cooling would have as big an impact in Sweden as it turns out to have had. Right now, district cooling also seems to be experiencing something of a boom in Sweden. Several factors contribute to the increased interest. FVB is currently involved in a number of district cooling projects. All of the projects have different basic conditions and require unique system solutions, but the driving forces the projects have in common are: increased operational reliability, environmental requirements, low carbon footprints, reduced electricity consumption (from a system perspective), high energy efficiency, and solid profitability. The district cooling project in Varberg is a good example of a forward-looking investment where they are really trying to find a complete, well-designed solution.In Sweden, district cooling is mainly used as comfort cooling for buildings in healthcare, offices, stores, and commercial properties. It may be only a matter of time before district cooling will be seriously considered for residential housing.FVB’s operations in Canada is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Over 30 years, our Canadian colleagues have built up an impressive set of skills in the district energy sector. One of the biggest projects FVB has taken on in Canada is the “modernization project” in Ottawa, which is presented in this newsletter. Ottawa has several old energy systems. These needed to be renovated, renewed, and made more efficient. The energy systems (both heating and cooling) have been upgraded from the ground up. The old steam systems have been converted and integrated into a modern “European low-temperature hot water system.” The conversion has required extensive redesign and renovation in the properties in question. The production is also being renewed in a radical way. They are replacing a strategy based on natural gas with an electricity-based production model with heat pumps and electric boilers. Not only is the district heating system being modernized and future-proofed for low carbon dioxide emissions, the district cooling system is as well. This is an impressive project in every way. It will be exciting to see if the energy systems can be expanded to supply larger areas in the future, there are certainly good opportunities for it.FVB has extensive experience in investigating and designing district heating pipes, and we are currently working on a project where residual heat from Gävle will heat up Sandviken. Connecting district heating networks and thus enabling more residual heat to be utilized is very cost-effective and obviously also efficient from a resource and environmental perspective. In this case, the connection will lead to benefits for both Sandviken and Gävle, as heat from the BillerudKorsnäs factory and heat from Gävle’s CHP plant can be used in an optimal way to benefit both cities. As with so many other complex district heating projects, there are plenty of challenges to deal with. Everyone involved has to really dig deep and fight to reach the project’s finishing line. FVB looks forward to contributing to this project being a success for both our clients and the district heating customers.