Smart Solar Community Living Lab London/Ontario
Project overview
This initiative aims to transform a real-world community in West 5 and EVE Park, London, Ontario, into a living laboratory to expedite the adoption of electrification technologies and transition from fossil fuels to electric-based solutions like solar panels, heat pumps, and electric vehicles (EVs).
By collaborating with researchers, industry partners, and community members, the project will address technological gaps and social barriers to electrification, focusing on enhancing renewable energy integration, developing smart microgrids, and optimizing energy use in buildings. It seeks to analyze the potential of electrification at the community level, leveraging digital twins and data-driven models, to reduce carbon emissions and improve community resilience.
Solutions will include promoting renewable energy, particularly solar, developing community energy systems, engaging the community in decision-making and advocating for policies that support electrification technology adoption.
Key project details
| Principal investigator | Caroline Hachem-Vermette, associate professor, Building, Civil, and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University |
| Co-principal investigators | Andreas Athienitis, professor, Concordia University; Alan Fung, professor, Toronto Metropolitan University |
| Research collaborators | Ursula Eicker, Concordia University; Heike Schreiber, National Research Council of Canada; Maya Ezzeddine, Schneider Electric; Milfred Hammerbacher, S2E Tech |
| Non-academic collaborators | National Research Council of Canada; Schneider Electric; S2E Tech |
| Research Keywords | Users engagement, energy modeling, digital twin, microgrid optimization, decision making tool, key (social, economic, and technical) performance indicators, codes and regulations |
| Budget | Cash: $318,000 In-Kind: $250,000 |
Research focus
Interdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder engagement
This project will emphasize the involvement of public and private actors, residents and users as central to the research and innovation process.
Explore technical, social and environmental aspects of decarbonization strategies
Assess decarbonization solutions through the development of a comprehensive digital twin platform that mirrors community infrastructure and engage with citizens through innovative digital tools to get feedback.
Optimization of community energy systems
Development, analysis and optimization of microgrid designs and community energy networks. This includes addressing research questions around resilience, investment optimization, and the integration of building and EV charging infrastructure with grid operations.
Develop decision-making and design tools
Based on lessons learned and key performance indicators, the project aims to enable rapid deployment of decarbonized and resilient community designs and business models, facilitating scaling up in future phases.
Regulatory and code development contributions
Identify barriers and challenges in implementation, particularly related to permitting and building codes, and working to develop solutions that facilitate the deployment of electrification and decarbonization strategies.
Non-academic partners
Thank you to our non-academic partners for your support and trust.
