These days, many people are making an effort to be environmentally friendly. As a part of this effort, the Texas A&M Utilities and Energy Management Department has introduced a combined heat and power project.

“Over the past two years, A&M embarked on an evaluation to look at equipment for power and steam and to identify the best options for energy around campus,” said Jim Riley, Utilities and Energy Management director.

Texas A&M has had on campus power generation since 1893. The project was $70.25 million.

“You’re generating electricity and taking the waste heat, and you produce steam,” Riley said. “Take the steam and run it to the steam generator, and take the exhaust steam from that. And that provides hot water for showers and food prep and heating water for the buildings.” The equipment A&M is replacing has been installed since the early 1970s.

The project generation equipment is built to last for 30 years, so new equipment was a necessity.

Design has been completed, and construction is under way. Riley said one of the major benefits of the project is that it will significantly reduce carbon footprints.

“We’re installing almost 2 miles of electrical duct bank — concrete encasement underground for conduit and electrical cable,” he said. “This will have a huge impact on traffic flow. It is a major impact, but there will be huge benefit for many, many decades.”

The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011.