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

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Parallel Architectural Products

    Armstrong World Industries, provider of interior and exterior architectural applications, recently announced that it has acquired the Colorado-based Parallel Architectural Products, according to a news release.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Education Design Showcase Awards

    Spaces4Learning has opened submissions for the 2026 Education Design Showcase! The awards program launched in 1999 with the goal of celebrating innovative, practical solutions in the planning, design, and construction of K–12 and higher-education facilities. EDS recognizes new developments that help achieve optimal learning environments, as well as the architecture firms that brought the ideas to life.

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.