Project SWITCH replaced Humber Polytechnic’s North Campus’ steam-based heating network with a new hot water distribution system.  

The legacy steam system dated back to the 1970s and was the primary source of heating for the campus. Large steam boilers in the central plant used to burn natural gas, a potent fossil fuel, to produce steam at high temperature and pressure, then distribute it through a network of piping to heat buildings. While it served Humber well for over 50 years, this obsolete technology no longer aligns with the vision of a modern campus with goals for higher energy efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions.  

Replacing core infrastructure such as the steam system on an active campus is an exceptionally complex undertaking and can be cost-prohibitive. This is a challenge other institutions across Canada experience since steam is the prevalent source of heating on older campuses. With SWITCH, one of the core project goals was to replace the system with a new hot water network that runs at lower temperatures, allowing for the introduction of lower carbon heating sources.  

Construction took place over three summers, starting in 2022.  During the higher temperature of the summer months, when the steam heating system was off, large sections of steam piping were demolished and replaced with new hot water piping. This included connecting the residence buildings to the central plant by installing 1.6 kilometres of underground piping across Parking Lot 1 over the summer of 2025. The Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation and the University of Guelph-Humber buildings have also been connected to the central plant, consolidating the campus buildings into one central heating system and allowing for a more robust and resilient network. The new distribution system also future proofs the campus, allowing for new buildings to be easily connected to the new low-carbon plant. 

The hot water heating network construction is complete, and it started heating all buildings across North Campus in mid-November, 2025. 

“The startup of the new hot water heating system on campus is a pivotal moment in Humber’s decarbonization journey. Many institutions across the country face a similar challenge with their legacy steam infrastructure, so we are showing change is possible” said Aman Hehar, associate director, Energy and Climate Change. 

The lower temperature hot water network enables the introduction of electric-based heating sources in the central plant. Humber’s new low-carbon heating system now features a 2MW electric boiler and a combined heat pump capacity of over 6,000,000 BTU/hr. Together, they are able to carry the majority of the heating load.  

This change is instrumental in reducing the carbon footprint of the institution by lessening natural gas use and turning to electricity to heat the campus. Electrification is a move towards sustainability since Ontario’s power grid is mainly supplied by low-carbon sources such as nuclear, hydro, and wind power. 

The retrofit also boosts efficiency by recovering heat from the cooling system that comes from the thousands of people, lights and equipment on a bustling campus, and using it to heat buildings with the central heat pumps.  

SWITCH is fundamental to Humber’s goal of reaching net zero in 2029, as the project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 40 per cent at the North Campus. “We understand the urgency of the climate crisis and take an active role in addressing Humber’s emissions. In four years, the institution will be net-zero thanks to bold projects such as SWITCH,” said Hehar. 

Final completion of the SWITCH project is expected in Spring 2026.  

Humber is continuing its path to net-zero with planning underway for the expansion of low-carbon heating systems at Lakeshore Campus and a geothermal system at North Campus.