The civic body has now invited expressions of interest from interested parties to assess whether such a technology is available in India to carry out a large-scale project like air-conditioning a whole business district.

District cooling system is a water-based central air-conditioning system and, when installed, will be the first of its kind in the country, officials said.

“The water-based system has earlier been used in many places in the United States and in Dubai. It will regulate warm or cool temperature across all blocks in CP, depending on weather conditions,” said Ramesh Raina, Director (civil engineering department), NDMC. 

Officials at Engineers India Limited (EIL), the civic agency’s consultant for the project, said the cooling system will not only consume less energy but also reduce pollution in surrounding areas. An expert from EIL said, “Almost all offices and shops in Delhi use window air-conditioners and coolers due to the adverse climate conditions and high temperatures in the Capital. These consume high energy and also pollute the surrounding areas.

“As per our new plan, shopkeepers will only have to install indoor units, which will be connected to the central chilling plant.”

The central plant is proposed to be located on one side of Minto Road.

Officials said the system will be operational throughout the day and suitable arrangements will also be made in case of breakdown. According to NDMC officials, traders will have to pay a monthly fee for maintenance of the cooling system but the civic body is yet to fix an amount.

But traders in the market are not too sure about how the proposed cooling system will work. “The concept sounds good but we are not very sure of its practicality,” Atul Bhargava, president of the New Delhi Traders’ Association, said. “As far as we know, the centralised plant will be located at Minto Road. But how will pipes maintain the temperature while water is being distributed through them to various blocks in CP?”

Bhargava also said the charges to be levied by NDMC will also “determine whether we want such a system”.

What is district cooling system?
* Distributes thermal energy (mostly chilled water) from a central source to multiple buildings through a network of underground pipes
* Cooling or heat rejection is usually provided from a central cooling plant, thus eliminating need for separate systems in individual buildings
* Consists of three primary components: central plant, distribution network and consumer system
* Central plant may include the cooling equipment, power generation and thermal storage
* Distribution or piping network is often the most expensive portion and needs careful design to optimise use
* Consumer system usually comprises air-handling units and chilled water piping in the building