The university has plans to squeeze even more savings out of its central plant. An ice storage area is under construction. The plant will produce ice at night, when off-peak energy costs are cheaper during the summer months, to meet the campus' chilled-water needs during the day when energy costs climb.
"There have been some adjustments in the calendar, but it's supposed to come on line toward the end of summer," Hardy says. "We're growing, so we had to add chilled-water capacity, and this is the most effective way."
The university anticipates saving hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in reduced electrical charges with the addition of the ice-storage plant in addition to the millions it's already saved.
"In a similar way that we say improved efficiency, reduced maintenance and operation needs with the steam to hot-water-plant conversion, we're anticipating similar benefits as we build capacity into our chilled water plant by adding the ice storage."
Mississippi State University Upgrades HVAC Technology and Benefits Bottom Line
Mississippi State Converts Steam Plant to Condensing Units
BAS Significant Part of Mississippi State University Projects
Next Step to Savings for Missisippi State: Ice Storage Area
