A new approach to urban cooling

In a context shaped by rising temperatures and the growing demand for cooling in urban environments, energy-efficient air conditioning has become one of the world’s major energy challenges. In cities such as San José, investing in sustainable solutions is no longer optional, but essential.

In this scenario, District Cooling emerges as an intelligent alternative, capable of reducing emissions, optimizing energy consumption, and decreasing dependence on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), greenhouse gases with a high climate impact.

At Aiguasol, together with DEVCCO, and with the support of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) as beneficiary, we have developed a comprehensive feasibility study for the implementation of a District Cooling (DC) network in the district of San Pedro, located in San José.

What exactly is district cooling?

District Cooling is a centralized system that efficiently produces chilled water and distributes it to multiple buildings through an urban distribution network. This technology enables the replacement of numerous individual air conditioning systems with a shared infrastructure that is significantly more efficient.

The benefits are clear:

• Significant reductions in energy consumption
• Lower CO₂ emissions
• Reduced use of HFCs
• Lower acoustic and visual impact on buildings
• Improved operational performance and centralized maintenance

This model is already implemented in many cities worldwide and represents a major opportunity for countries with warm and humid climates such as Costa Rica. Based on this premise, our team of experts and collaborators combined their experience and technical expertise to develop a strategic cooling plan.

An urban cooling project for the ICE complex

The work carried out enabled the assessment of the real potential for implementing a District Cooling network across the ICE complex buildings in San José.

The project’s main activities included:

• Technical and economic assessment of the cooling network potential within the ICE complex
• Design of a District Cooling system tailored to the urban, energy, and climatic context of San José
• Analysis of surplus energy utilization, exploring commercialization opportunities and introducing a circular and efficient approach to the system
• Specialized technical training for ICE personnel through intensive workshops led by Aleksandar Ivancic, Senior Consultant at Aiguasol

Integrating district cooling into infrastructure modernization

The network connects three key buildings within the ICE complex, whose integration enables load balancing, optimization of equipment utilization, and a significant reduction in redundant installed capacity. The approach reflects our expertise in designing high-efficiency, systemic energy solutions that go beyond optimization at the individual building level.

We carried out simulations incorporating both the architectural and operational characteristics of each building, ensuring that the system design is resilient to climate variability and capable of meeting long-term demand requirements. This approach is particularly relevant in tropical climates, where rising temperatures increasingly challenge energy systems.

The system architecture is based on water-to-water chillers supported by cooling towers, integrated with thermal energy storage and complemented by air-to-water chillers according to demand conditions. One of the most innovative aspects of the design is the utilization of surplus cooling capacity from the new chilled water generation plant in one of the buildings — a strategy that maximizes overall system efficiency while minimizing the need for additional investments.

Costa Rica ready to lead the energy transition

In a global context of growing cooling demand, this study further demonstrates the strategic role of District Cooling as an efficient, scalable, and sustainable solution. Costa Rica has consistently demonstrated its commitment to sustainability and the energy transition, and the integration of innovative solutions such as District Cooling strengthens this leadership while paving the way for a more resilient urban model, prepared to address future climate challenges.

At Aiguasol, we continue working to transform this potential into real projects, providing knowledge, strategy, and implementation capabilities to accelerate the decarbonization of our clients.

Project funded by the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Korea.