The University will begin construction next month on a project aimed at updating portions of the campus utilities system, which is deteriorating and inadequate for current needs, according to University officials.
"The campus infrastructure is very old," said Carlos Fernandez, director of engineering at Facilities Management, who has been a key figure in the project since it was proposed three years ago.
"The administration is taking utilities very seriously," Fernandez said, adding that he was not surprised by the February hot water pipe leak on the Main Green that cost the University over $300,000. "Fortunately, we haven't had any major catastrophes."
Richard Spies, executive vice president for planning and senior advisor to the president, echoed Fernandez's concern regarding the utilities system, saying he believes the system is currently operating at its capacity. "The infrastructure at Brown is not what it needs to be," Spies said. "The leak is one piece of evidence."
The first phase of the project, which Fernandez said is set to start next month, received $27 million in funding and should be completed by the end of 2008.
The project is designed to increase the utilities system's ability to support new buildings while enhancing its reliability and energy efficiency. The project also aims to eliminate costly and disruptive leak repairs, a goal addressed in the University's Site Utilities Master Plan.
Renovating the utilities system would also alter the distribution and location of heat, air conditioning and electrical sources on campus.
Spies said he sees this plan as an opportunity to move away from the current system of supplying utilities through smaller systems that serve individual buildings. "It is a lot more efficient to centrally provide heat support to the larger buildings on campus," he said.
Facilities Management workers recently undertook efforts to update and repair the Central Heat Plant, which is located on Lloyd Avenue near the Olney-Margolies Athletic Center. The University runs and uses the plant to supply heat to many campus buildings.
In reference to the distribution, modernization and relocation of utilities, Spies said the project will cause Brown "to play the role a city would play" by rearranging its power and heating supplies.
Spies compared the current focus on utilities to an effort to update Brown's communications system that occurred five years ago. Ultimately, Spies said, modernizing the communications setup on campus was a very positive change.
Similarly, the utilities plan directly addresses the needs of faculty and staff.
"You can add faculty and staff, but if you cannot supply need, they cannot do their work," Spies said.
"Most people don't think of heating and power on campus," Spies added. "They take it for granted."
Fernandez said he is unsure how many phases the project will ultimately entail, but added that additional phases for a complete systems upgrade will be further evaluated by this fall.
Due to better organization and a staggered order of construction, the utilities project will not disrupt community affairs as much as the February Main Green leak did, Fernandez said. "There will maybe be an impact on traffic, but not on heating," he said.
