Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems & Committee on District Heating and Cooling 
District Heating and Cooling in the United States [PDF ebook] 
Prospects and Issues

Used historically in urban areas but now mainly in institutions, district heating and cooling systemsefficient centralized energy systems that may use energy sources other than petroleumhave gained renewed interest. This volume is a nontechnical examination of the history and current extent of district heating and cooling systems in the United States, their costs and benefits, technical requirements, market demand for them, and European experience with such systems, with major focus on the problems of financing, regulation, and taxation. Appendixes provide case studies of cities and towns currently using district heating and cooling systems.