Harnessing energy in roads

Heating and cooling buildings

Sydney construction and sustainability consultancy VIM Sustainability is the Australian distributor for the Road Energy System (RES), an innovative heating/cooling system using roads as a heat source.

The current soaring summer temperatures in Australia have made the black tar roads absorb large amounts of heat and the RES is said to provide a cost-effective solution to harness this heat and reduce greenhouse gases at the same time. The black tar used in the roads also stores heat in winter, so the system can work equally well throughout the year.

VIM Sustainability Managing Director John Brodie said RES, which was designed in Holland, circulated water or water and glycol (antifreeze compound) through the road to capture the absorbed heat. This energy is then used to heat and cool buildings and provide hot water.

“Australia has thousands of kilometres of roads and this engineered system will allow us to use roads for more than just transportation purposes. RES also minimises the costs of roadways by gaining maximum value from them,” Brodie said.

“Just think, energy harnessed from the roads in each town can be used to heat and cool down its buildings. Studies have shown RES can lead to a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for heating and cooling buildings.

“Installing RES also improves road surface life and quality, because the water flowing through the tar drops the substance’s temperature to a level where it is less malleable and, therefore, better at resisting heavy loads,” he added.

RES includes a bespoke piping and grid support system, designed in conjunction with a tar additive, to ensure maximum transfer of heat between the road and the piping.

The system is also designed for interruptions, so if a trench or excavation is required there is minimal loss in time or functionality.

RES is suitable for developers, the local road authority and local councils building new roads or car parks, allowing them to minimise carbon emissions and improving sustainable outcomes at the same time.