Improve District Heating: Buildings
Articles/Websites
Grades9, 10, 11, 12, APEarth and Space Sciences, Economics, Engineering
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Provided by Project Drawdown
What it is
- This article details the costs, benefits, and feasibility of centralized hot water heating systems for buildings as a climate solution.
- Students will learn about district heating for buildings, which involves a network of pipes that can heat multiple buildings from one location, and the sources of energy that can be used to heat the water.
- District heating for buildings is a "Highly Recommended" climate solution that may be a better choice than district heating for industrial applications.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This article examines two adoption scenarios for renewable district heating.
- Credible international agencies are cited in this article.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should understand where carbon dioxide emissions come from and how they contribute to climate change.
- Students should have a basic understanding of biomass, solar, and geothermal energy.
Differentiation
- Students could use this article for an informative essay on technological solutions to climate change.
- For this article, teachers could go over the main idea of key paragraphs in order to ensure comprehension.
- Students could use this article to prepare for an in-class discussion on why most countries continue to heavily rely on fossil fuels, what steps are needed to increase the adoption of renewable energy solutions, and how the costs and benefits can be accounted for.
- Some students may benefit from a graphic organizer, such as a compare/contrast chart or guided notes, in order to facilitate comprehension.
From the scientist review
This resource introduces a solution to reducing emissions by heating buildings using hot water. A brief introduction of reducing emissions by replacing single building water and space heating systems with a central heating system. The methodology, scenarios, and models are provided, along with the results and a discussion concerning the feasibility of central heating systems. This resource would be a great addition to a lesson discussing alternative methods to reducing carbon emissions and it is recommended for teaching.
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