Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Wesleyan University Installs Boiler that Converts Lost Heat into Electricity

  • By Matt Jones
  • 11/10/22

Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., recently installed a new heating system in one of its residence halls that also generates free electricity, according to a news release. The SmartWatt Boiler by Enviro Power, installed in the university’s Butterfield student dormitory, converts lost heat into electricity and contributes to the university’s continuing sustainability initiative. This marks the first time that the technology has been installed on a higher-education campus, the news release reports.

The SmartWatt Boiler serves as a drop-in replacement for traditional heat and hot-water system boilers and generates clean energy at 98% efficiency. It contains an internal power plant that captures heat and steam lost in conventional boilers and converts it into free electricity. The boiler is easy to install and reduces a building’s total energy costs over time.

“We were excited to work with the forward-thinking leaders at Wesleyan and join them on their journey to become a more sustainable, energy-efficient campus,” said Enviro Power CEO Dan Nadav. “The SmartWatt boiler not only provides free electricity to the building, lowering energy costs, but it is an advanced system that delivers heat and hot water using the dorm’s existing infrastructure.”

The news release reports that the system was originally installed and tested at the Butterfield C dormitory, which measures 56,000 square feet. It launched when students returned to campus following the COVID-19 pandemic. The dorm stands three stories, has a capacity for 197 students, and includes a dining hall. The boiler provides hot water to the entire facility, and the electricity produced increases the efficiency of the heating system.

“The installation was flawless, and the new boiler fit seamlessly into our existing heating infrastructure,” said Wesleyan University Facilities Business Manager Jeff Murphy. “It works automatically to generate electricity, and we expect to bring this technology to other dorms and campus buildings moving forward.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • FGCU Breaks Ground on New Health Sciences Building

    Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has launched construction on a major new academic facility that leaders say will reshape healthcare education in Southwest Florida for decades to come, according to university news.

  • Planning with Clarity: Using AI to Make Better Campus Decisions, Not Just Better Designs

    Higher education leaders are being asked to make increasingly high-stakes decisions about campus facilities amid greater uncertainty than ever before. Social and economic pressures, shifting enrollment, and evolving learning models compete with growing deferred maintenance needs to strain even the most robust infrastructure budgets.

  • University of Kansas Breaks Ground on Entrepreneurship Hub

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new KU Entrepreneurship Hub, according to university news. The Hub is part of the university’s School of Business and will include spaces for experiential learning and programming.

  • Universities Continue to Launch Multimillion-Dollar Campus Transformations

    What makes the current wave of campus development especially noteworthy is its emphasis on multi-use functionality and community integration. Institutions are no longer investing solely in academic or athletic facilities in isolation. Instead, they are creating destinations that blend recreation, health, housing, and event-driven economic activity.