Box 3

Integrated Energy Generation Prototype

116

A prototype power plant could revolutionize on site

to help run a chiller is not new. What is new is for a

generation for businesses. Burns & McDonnell devel 

chiller of this size to be fueled by waste heat alone. The

oped, installed, and is testing (with Austin Energy) one

project's chiller is capable of delivering 2,500 tons of

of the largest integrated energy systems in the nation

chilled water, enough to cool 1 million square feet of

(Figure 11). This demonstration project uses the waste

office space. Operation, which began in June 2004,

heat exhaust from a natural gas fueled generator as the

should verify fuel efficiency of 70 to 80 percent against

only fuel source for a chiller that provides air condition 

the 55 percent efficiency of the best central power plant

ing. Recycling waste heat to power another generator or

technology available today.

117

Figure 11

Integrated Energy System  

Includes a Natural Gas Turbine and 

a Heat Recovery Chiller

Chilled Water

To the 

domain

Inlet Air

Cooler

Exhaust Stack

Ambient

Silencer

Air

Gas

Turbine

+

Generator

Diverter

Heat 

Exhaust 

Damper

Recovery Chiller

Stack

Gas

Compressor

Electricity

+

38

+

Towards a Climate Friendly  

Built Environment