“You’re looking at the Central Utility Plant, and many people would be surprised to know what it does,” I said, and I paused, surveying the faces of my tour group. “This isn’t just some drab building with pipes and wires. It’s the heart of a university, making sure that the campus runs, and runs smoothly. And it’s got a past that’s pretty interesting too.”
I gestured toward the building as I continued. “This plant is a vital part of the University of Chicago. It heats and cools all of those buildings you see around us. And get this, the Central Utility Plant keeps things warm and cool using a remarkable network of tunnels beneath the campus. It’s like an underground city! Fun fact: this network is so large, it has a mile-long walkable section. But don’t worry, it’s locked up tight now. Back in the day, students used to sneak into those tunnels for a secret adventure, but that’s no longer allowed! ”
“Back in 1901, the university had a different system. They had these little steam plants spread out, one in each building. But then University founder John D. Rockefeller decided to build a central plant, and he paid for it himself! Talk about a generous benefactor. This coal-operated plant, however, wasn’t very efficient. So, when the university expanded, they built the South Steam Power Plant. It was designed by Philip B. Maher in 1929. It was near the Illinois Central Railroad for easy access to coal. But that coal-powered plant was switched to natural gas from 1968 to 1972.”
“The Central Utility Plant is a pretty remarkable piece of engineering. Did you know that they have two massive steam boilers and two large chillers to keep these facilities operating? We don’t really think about these things, but it’s pretty impressive when you really consider it. They have these generators too, which, in the event of an outage, can keep the plant operating independently. They can power the whole campus, not just the plant itself. You could say that this plant is very self-reliant.”
“And beyond keeping the lights on and the classrooms at a comfortable temperature, the Central Utility Plant is also helping to reduce the university’s impact on the environment. They’re constantly working to improve the efficiency of their systems. It’s all part of the University of Chicago’s plan to shrink their carbon footprint. They’re trying to reach their goal of cutting emissions campus-wide by 50 percent by the year 2030. So, the next time you step into a warm classroom or enjoy the cool air in the library, just remember that the Central Utility Plant is the one keeping things running perfectly.”