Concordia, Énergir Développement Inc. and Hydro-Québec join forces to bring innovative energy solutions to Loyola Campus

Montreal, May 6, 2025 – Concordia University, Énergir Développement Inc. (EDI) and Hydro-Québec announced today the signing of a strategic collaboration agreement to explore and implement sustainable energy solutions on Concordia University's Loyola Campus. This agreement is part of a shared commitment to accelerate the energy transition in Quebec by combining innovation, research and smart infrastructure. The agreement was announced at the Sommet Climat Montréal.

In addition to the recovery of waste heat, the partners will assess ways of integrating various renewable energy sources into the existing campus district energy network, which could eventually connect some thirty buildings. By bringing together researchers, students and stakeholders from the energy sector, the Loyola Campus could eventually serve as a living laboratory to train the next generation of experts needed to develop resilient renewable energy networks. The project would both contribute to the decarbonization of the campus and support training and research focused on the energy transition.

“This project is part of Concordia's PLAN/NET-ZERO initiative, which aims to decarbonize our campuses and reduce our overall energy consumption,” said Graham Carr, President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University. “We are delighted to have Énergir Développement Inc. and Hydro-Québec join us in this next step. This collaboration agreement allows us to further our commitment by leveraging our infrastructure to support the research and development of sustainable energy solutions for Montreal and Quebec.”

The main goal of the project is to optimize and modernize the current energy loop on the Loyola Campus. This would involve adding a new power plant and integrating technologies such as geothermal and photovoltaic energy, thermal and chemical storage, and renewable natural gas, which would provide efficient heating and cooling capacity.  

The first phase of the project will consist of a technical, economic and regulatory feasibility study. This will determine the best solutions to implement to maximize the energy performance of the campus while ensuring long-term economic viability. Énergir Développement Inc. will oversee the technical and economic study, including the analysis of the financial and governance models. Concordia will make its infrastructure available for the purposes of the study while setting up the networks that will foster the training and research components. Hydro-Québec, for its part, will contribute its expertise in the integration of renewable energy and analyze the environmental, social and economic impacts of the project.

“We are delighted to join forces with Concordia and Hydro-Québec to advance the development of innovative energy solutions,” said Stéphanie Trudeau, Executive Vice President for Quebec at Énergir. “This study is part of our ongoing commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote the circular economy. This collaboration agreement represents a new milestone in the deployment of district heating networks and energy loops in Quebec.”

“We are proud to contribute to this significant project, which is in line with our Action Plan 2035 – Towards a Decarbonized and Prosperous Quebec,” said Caroline De Vit, Senior Director, Business Development and Performance, at Hydro-Québec. “The integration of innovative energy solutions in a large and complex environment such as a university campus is a key step in demonstrating the feasibility and benefits of district heating networks.”

In addition to contributing to the energy transition of the campus, the partners hope this project will inspire other organizations and communities to adopt similar approaches to optimize their energy consumption and reduce their carbon footprint. They also hope that this collaboration will serve as a model for the integration of innovative energy solutions across Quebec.

Contacts:

Concordia University
media.relations@concordia.ca

Énergir - Communications
514 598-3449 ou 1-866-598-3449
communications@energir.com

Hydro-Québec
relationsmedias@hydroquebec.com