National Western Center District Energy

The National Western Center is a year-round, global destination for agriculture and food innovation, western heritage, and culture that will open in Denver in 2024.

The National Western Center (NWC) campus now sources 90 percent of its heating and cooling from an existing 72-inch diameter wastewater infrastructure pipe, called the Delgany Interceptor. The system is the largest wastewater heat recovery (WHR) system in the U.S. to date. Once complete, seven buildings will connect to the WHR system with the capacity to expand. The WHR system is composed of three primary elements: A 25-foot-deep wet well connection at a nearby utility hole that pulls wastewater out and then returns it to the Delgany Interceptor.

An 8,790-square-foot Central Utility Plant (CUP) containing solids separation equipment (SHARC) and plate and frame heat exchangers, which transfer heat from the wastewater pipe to a clean water ambient distribution pipe. A clean water ambient loop distributes warm water to all the buildings, housing heat recovery chillers and compatible HVAC equipment. 

On extreme hot/cold days, this system is supplemented by high-efficiency natural gas boilers and chillers, which ensures reliability and competitive cost. The success of this project required coordination between the City and County of Denver, the National Western Center Authority, National Western Stock Show, Colorado State University, Metro Water Recovery, CenTrio, AECOM and Saunders.