Ramboll to help implement Guelph District Energy System

Press release
Ramboll is opening an office in Guelph, Canada, from where the 11,000 person strong company will pursue opportunities in the growing market for district energy services in North America and provide expertise to Envida Community Energy Inc. in support of the City of Guelph’s Community Energy Initiative.

The implementation of the first city-wide district energy network in North America is well on its way in Guelph, located 100 km west of Toronto, Canada. While district energy is widespread in Europe, district energy represents only 0.29 per cent of total sales of energy in Canada according to the Canadian Urban Institute. Guelph will provide an excellent doorway for Ramboll to access a growing North American market.

In Copenhagen where Ramboll’s head office is located, 98 per cent of the buildings are heated with district energy and one million people are supplied with low-carbon heat from what is one of the world’s largest district heating systems. For more than 30 years, Ramboll has been the Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission Company’s main consultant, providing consultancy assistance during all stages of the project from planning and design to operation and maintenance of the city-wide system.

Now, Ramboll will apply some of this know-how to support district energy development in Guelph. Pernille M. Overbye, who is heading Ramboll’s North American set-up within district energy, says: “We see an increasing interest from America and Canada in the expertise from Scandinavian countries and in particular in Ramboll’s vast practical experience with district energy systems, their planning, implementation, operation and maintenance with focus on efficiency and cost effectiveness.”

Guelph Mayor Karen Farbridge says: “We are thrilled to welcome Ramboll to Guelph and we welcome their expertise as we implement our district energy plans. Our city aims to be a gateway to the untapped North American market for district energy, and the arrival of Ramboll is an important step in that effort. This is further proof that Guelph’s Community Energy Initiative is not only a smart energy strategy – it’s a smart and effective economic development strategy.”

Ramboll already has offices in Houston and Portland, and opening an office in Guelph is another step towards fulfilling Ramboll’s strategic ambition to establish a significant presence in North America to support the company in developing its portfolio and sustain the company’s growth. Initially, projects commissioned to the Guelph office will be staffed through short-term secondments with employees from Ramboll offices in Europe or through employment of local resources.

For more information, please contact Pernille M Overbye, Ramboll at pmo@ramboll.com, tel. +45 5161 8460.

About Ramboll:
Ramboll is a leading engineering, design and consultancy company founded in Denmark in 1945. The company employs more than 11,000 experts and has a significant presence in Northern Europe, India and the Middle East. With more than 200 offices in 22 countries Ramboll emphasises local experience combined with a global knowledge-base. The company constantly strives to achieve inspiring and exacting solutions that make a genuine difference to its customers, end-users and society as a whole. Ramboll works across the markets: Buildings, Transport, Environment, Energy, Oil & Gas and Management Consulting. www.ramboll.com