Recycling Sewer Heat into Clean Energy: Vancouver’s Vision to be the Greenest City

Vancouver boasts the lowest carbon emissions per capita of any city in North America. It’s also consistently ranked among the world’s most livable cities—and that’s no coincidence. While the city benefits from its natural greenery and renewable energy, it’s Vancouver’s long-standing commitment to sustainability and its embrace of climate innovation that truly sets it apart.

This week, Josh speaks with former Mayor Gregor Robertson, who was elected on a platform to make Vancouver the greenest city on the planet. Over three terms, his administration championed groundbreaking sustainability initiatives, including North America’s largest sewer heat recovery system. Since 2010, that system has delivered zero-emissions heat and hot water to more than 6,000 apartments in the False Creek neighborhood—a legacy from Vancouver’s Olympic year. And it's turned a municipal water treatment facility into a municipal profit center.

We also hear from Lynn Mueller, the inventor behind that revolutionary system and founder of SHARC Energy.

Mayor Robertson goes on to share insights from his current role as special envoy for 13,000 cities in UN global climate negotiations, working with the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy to elevate urban priorities on the world stage.

Show Links:

Guests: Gregor Robertson and Lynn Mueller

Company: SHARC Energy

Organization: Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy

Initiative: Sewer Heat Recovery System Vancouver's False Creek Neighborhood

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