Steam is generated to deliver heat to campus buildings and for other needs such as sterilizers, cage washers, autoclaves, dining facilities, and domestic hot water.

Steam travels via underground pipes to all buildings on campus, and is distributed within buildings at safe pressures.

The campus can use up to 200,000 pounds of steam per hour. This is equivalent to about 237 million Btus per hour.

By centralizing heating and cooling in the co-generation plant, the life-cycle cost and carbon footprint of campus energy are greatly reduced.