Dunedin City Council principal sustainability policy adviser Jinty MacTavish said the council, the Ministry of Health, the Southern District Health Board and the University of Otago were working together to investigate options for a new district heating scheme.
Since council approved funding for feasibility investigations for such a new scheme for central Dunedin in 2017-18, the council had also been considering alternative low emissions heating options for its Octagon-area buildings.
"If the [council] is to connect to an energy scheme, co-ordinating the installation of the pipes with physical works associated with the George St upgrade would minimise both disruption and cost," she said.
"It is envisaged that a decision on an energy scheme connection will be made around the end of this year, in order to enable this co-ordination."
Last week, Southern Partnership Group chairman Pete Hodgson said the largely coal-fired Dunedin Energy Centre would approach its end of life in about a decade.
But a new hospital would be "a smaller user" of the scheme than the existing hospital due to planned improvements in the new building’s design.
"... a key question is whether it is sensible to convert more of the existing facility away from coal in the meantime," he said.
The council’s work in George St is due to begin in April next year.
