170 Lees Avenue
How multi-family property owner HAMA Investments deployed a 195 kW dual-mode CHP system at its Ottawa apartment building to combat surging Global Adjustment charges, heat domestic water and underground parking, and secure full emergency power resilience.
170 Lees Avenue
How multi-family property owner HAMA Investments deployed a 195 kW dual-mode CHP system at its Ottawa apartment building to combat surging Global Adjustment charges, heat domestic water and underground parking, and secure full emergency power resilience.
Customer:
HAMA Investments
Industry:
Residential
Location:
Ottawa, Ontario
System Size:
195 kW
Application:
CHP
Controls:
Dual Mode MTIM
Commissioning Date:
2020
Hedging Volatile Utility Rates with $150K in Annual Energy Savings
At a Glance
• System Configuration: 3 × C65 Dual-Mode Capstone Microturbines (195 kW) and controller
• Annual Generation: >1.5 Million kWh/year
• Energy Savings: ~$150,000 / year in reduced electricity and natural gas costs
• Thermal Integration: 1.29 MMBtu/hr of hot water for domestic use and parking garage heating
• Compliance & Backup: CSA C282-compliant for emergency life-safety loads
The Challenge
During the project development window between 2018 and 2020, multi-unit residential property owners across Ontario faced severe electricity cost volatility. Driven by escalating Global Adjustment (GA) charges and unpredictable peak-demand rates, reliance on the local power grid introduced unsustainable operating expense risks. For HAMA Investments’ multi-unit residential property near the University of Ottawa, rising grid power tariffs threatened net operating income (NOI). At the same time, maintaining code-compliant emergency power and heating during harsh Ottawa winters was non-negotiable. The client needed a proven strategy to stabilize energy expenditures while upgrading site resilience.
The Solution
Veristar Energy engineered and installed a 195 kW Combined Heat & Power system featuring three dual-mode C65 microturbines designed for continuous baseload efficiency and instant grid isolation.
• Onsite Generation & Rate Hedging: Generates over 1,500 MWh of continuous electricity on-site annually, drastically cutting high-cost grid purchases and locking in predictable energy costs regardless of Ontario market fluctuations.
• Dual-Thermal Heat Recovery: Captures high-grade exhaust thermal energy to produce 1,290,000 BTU/hr of hot water, servicing both domestic hot water demand and hydronic heating for the multi-level parking garage.
• Seamless Grid Independence: Operates in dual mode to automatically detect grid failure and transfer to standalone operation, supplying continuous power to emergency loads without interruption.
• Code Compliance: Meets strict CSA C282 life-safety standards, successfully replacing passive standby generator requirements with an active, cash-flow-generating energy asset.
The Results
• $150,000 Annual Bottom-Line Impact: Delivers substantial year-over-year operational savings by offsetting premium grid power tariffs and reducing natural gas consumption for space/water heating.
• Utility Tariff Protection: Shields property operating budgets from ongoing provincial rate hikes and demand charges by generating clean electricity locally.
• Multi-Use Thermal Efficiency: Converts waste heat into dual operational benefits—displacing primary boiler usage for residential hot water while eliminating freeze hazards in the parking facility.
• High-Uptime Life-Safety Assurance: Utilizes air-bearing microturbine technology with a single moving part to ensure maximum operational uptime and ultra-low ongoing maintenance overhead.
Hot Water
1,290,000 BTU/hr
Energy Savings
$150,000 per year
Yearly Output
1,500+ MWh
Modular Bays
3
Power
195 kW
Resilient Infrastructure Designed for Growth
We go beyond equipment supply to deliver integrated energy assets that secure your operational future. Let’s discuss how our end-to-end engineering and execution can empower your next expansion.
