Thermal Production Facility Project

Powering Progress at the University of Florida

The University of Florida‘s education, research, and business-related functions all rely on an intricate arrangement of energy generation, chillers, boilers, and distribution. Chilled water and steam production are critical to campus operations. These products are supplied to over 131 campus buildings for the purposes of air conditioning, heating, humidity control, and process related needs. Top-tier research facilities often require narrow climate control tolerances necessitating robust production and distribution systems.

As UF has moved closer to ending our current contract with our steam provider for the past 30 years, the organization has undertaken an extensive process to evaluate options for the future of on campus energy production. The goal is to maximize future efficiency while fulfilling the ever-growing infrastructure needs of a top-tier research institution. The upcoming Thermal Production Facility project is the culmination of an extensive master planning exercise that will ensure the operational resiliency of the University of Florida’s utilities system for 50 years and beyond. In order to achieve the desired system resiliency while rightsizing the project’s relationship to the core mission of the university from a financial standpoint, UF plans to pursue a public-private partnership to build a new campus energy plant. The goal of this partnership is for UF to become steam independent while also addressing significant deferred maintenance needs. UF’s strong position as the state’s flagship research university is reflected in credit ratings provided by Moody’s Investors Service and Fitch Ratings, well positioning UF to pursue a partnership of this nature.

It is anticipated that with the new Thermal Production Facility, UF will have the flexibility to realize as much as:

In conjunction with additional current and planned thermal utilities infrastructure projects, the construction of the Thermal Production Facility will enable the completion of a looped district energy approach to utilities management at UF . This district energy concept where a distribution network of underground pipes is used to provide heating and cooling produced at a central plant to multiple buildings provides a highly efficient solution that will provide redundancy to campus buildings.

The combined heat and power approach will provide several benefits to the university. By rightsizing cogeneration capacity, peak demand will be able to be met while allowing for an aggressive payback timeline on the initial project investment. In addition to the benefits regarding steam and chilled water production, electricity produced as a byproduct of the plant’s operations will allow UF to offset electric demand providing cost savings and the ability to provide backup utilities for prime research needs.

Solicitation Details

Details for the formal procurement process can be located on the UF Procurement Schedule of Bids webpage. Learn More

Thermal Production Facility Project Overview

UF intends to pursue an energy project that will advance the University as a leader in campus sustainability, efficiency, and reliability. The Thermal Production Facility Project is critical to enabling the growth of the campus as a top-tier research university. Learn More

Thermal Production Facility Sustainability Considerations

Sustainability is the practice of meeting contemporary needs without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their needs. The planning process for the Thermal Production Facility focused on balancing the energy requirements and economic implications for the university with the environmental impacts of the technologies considered as future production options on the University of Florida campus. Learn More

Project FAQs

Frequently asked questions regarding the Central Energy Plant will be updated as new stages of the project come to fruition. Learn More

Time and Work Invested in Project

The Thermal Production Facility project is the culmination of an extensive master planning exercise. An in-depth analysis undertaken over several years was conducted to evaluate the long-term merits of achieving steam independence through the construction of a cogeneration facility. Learn More

UF Advisors

The University of Florida has engaged technical, legal, and financial advisors to ensure the long-term success of this initiative. Learn More