Oo la la. While wildfires were heating things up here in the West, I nearly missed a hot project being planned in Paris. Starting next year, heat from commuters on the Metro will be shuttled underground through exchangers to supplement heating in a public housing building.
A 17-unit apartment public housing building on Rue Beaubourg near the Pompidou Center is situated right above the Rambuteau Metro station. Even in the coldest months, the station's interior temperature usually stays above 57 degrees Fahrenheit. Building owner Paris Habitat plans to take advantage of the warmth generated by passengers and moving trains. They're going to use a system inspired by geothermal climate control to pump heat into the building.
Pipes containing water will run through an old stairway that already connects the Metro station to the building. Heat from the station will warm the water, which will be pumped upstairs to a radiant heat system underneath the apartment flooring, according to The Guardian. Construction on the system is expected to start next year.
Other places are experimenting with similar projects. Stockholm's Central Station already helps heat a 13-story office building there. The Mall of America in Minneapolis uses shoppers' body heat to help keep the place comfortable in the winter.
Having traveled on the un-airconditioned Paris Metro during the summertime, I wish there could be a realistic way to store all that excess body heat for the winter. Mon dieu, the sweltering cars felt like they contained enough heat to warm the whole city.
Photo: A new heating system will be coming out of the Rambuteau Metro station in Paris. Credit: Aslak Raanes.
Tags: Alternative Power Sources, Geothermal Power, Green Building, Green Tech, Heating
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