The Lakeview Village District Energy System in Mississauga marks a transformative step toward creating one of Canada’s most sustainable waterfront communities.
Lakeview Village will be a 177-acre site on Mississauga’s waterfront that was formerly the Lakeview Power Generating Station. Designed to be a mixed-use community this sustainable and interconnected neighbourhood will feature 16,000 new homes, parks, trails, transit, recreational opportunities, event spaces, and commercial areas for work and shopping.
It will utilize cutting-edge technology from Sandale Ontario to provide efficient heating, cooling and hot water to 16,000 residents and businesses. Notably, there will be a state-of-the-art HDPE piping network and supporting infrastructure, driving progress toward the city’s ambitious climate action goals and reinforcing its commitment to sustainability.
The Sandale Ontario Challenges
District Energy Systems are capital-intensive, requiring infrastructure with a long design life. Traditionally, the distribution piping used for these systems has been pre-insulated steel manufactured to EN 253 Standards.
However, steel pipes present challenges, as they are susceptible to corrosion. The welds carried out in the field are also time-consuming, and this becomes particularly problematic in urban environments where the piping may require numerous fittings to navigate existing utilities. Other environmental challenges, such as differential settlement due to freeze-thaw weathering, can be particularly challenging in regions like Canada and the United States.
Old-fashioned and rigid pipe systems like steel cannot handle significant deflections, which can compromise buried distribution piping integrity and disrupt system operations. Given the higher cost of District Energy Systems compared to traditional heating and cooling methods, the buried distribution piping is one of the most critical assets of the system.
The Sandale Ontario HDPE Solution
The key performance indicators (KPIs) for pipe material selection included corrosion resistance, lightweight properties, rapid installation, long design life and the ability to withstand differential settlements and stresses.
Based on these criteria, Sandale Ontario’s preinsulated Polyethylene of Raised Temperature Resistance (PE-RT) was chosen for hot water transport. At the same time, Sandale’s High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) was selected for cold water transport.
Sandale’s High Temp HDPE PE-RT Pipe is ideal for transporting hot fluids in applications such as district energy, geothermal or industrial applications and can withstand continuous temperatures up to 180°F and peaks of 203°F. Sandale Ontario’s PE-RT is available in diameters from 3” to 48” IPS for DRs 7 – 32.5.
Fused HDPE and PE-RT joints create a fully restrained, monolithic pipeline with seamless, homogeneous connections that are the strongest part of the system, ensuring leak-proof performance and a design life exceeding 100 years. Both materials offer excellent flow characteristics, with a high C-factor of 150–155 due to their smooth interiors. They are also chemically inert, offering superior corrosion resistance compared to steel. This chemical inertness ensures stable friction levels over time, reducing pumping costs and maintaining long-term efficiency. (And many more benefits as well!)
Enwave, in collaboration with Sandale Ontario, conducted a total cost of ownership analysis, evaluating material, transportation, construction, and rehabilitation costs. Sandale Ontario’s PE-RT and HDPE were compared to insulated steel and insulated FRP systems, with which Enwave had extensive experience.
Approximately 42,000 feet of Sandale Ontario’s Pre-Insulated PE-RT and HDPE piping were ultimately selected as the most commercially viable option for the buried distribution piping at Lakeview Village.
Learn More About Sandale Pre-insulated PE-RT
Our robust pre-insulated pipe system consists of a thermally efficient polyurethane (PUR) insulation, polyethylene bonding film, a waterproof high-density polyethylene (HDPE) outer jacket, and a carrier pipe.
Learn more about Sandale Ontario’s PE-RT and how this innovative and cost-effective approach can help your project – reach out to Ontario’s HDPE leaders right now.