Spring Break
Eastern to request new steam plant
Stephen Di Benedetto/Senior University Reporter
Issue date: 11/14/07 Section: News
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This is according to Gary Reed, director for facilities planning and management, who spoke at the Faculty Senate's meeting Tuesday.
Reed added the university is in the position of looking at a 20-year performance contract for the new steam plant.
A request for proposal is a document that contains the criteria the university is looking for in an ESCO project.
An ESCO project is when the university partners with a company. The company would then replace the existing steam plant.
The company that agrees to a performance contract will guarantee the university that the new steam plant would be paid from savings throughout a 20-year period.
The request for proposal will be sent out soon, Reed said.
Reed added he is uncertain as far as when construction on a new steam plant will begin.
"A lot is based upon what we get from the request for proposals," he said.
There is a capital bill, which includes $25 million for Eastern's new steam plant, waiting for the House of Representatives in Springfield to decide on.
Reed added the capital bill is a vital piece to starting construction on the new steam plant.
Eastern was last a part of a major capital bill in 2003, when legislators in Springfield approved money for the new Doudna Fine Arts Center.
He said most Illinois public universities are frustrated about the capital money situation in higher education.
"I think we are all in the same situation with operations," Reed said.
When the new Doudna opens, the campus will become larger and more square feet will be added to it, he said.
Reed said he feared there would be no additions to facilities planning and management's operation budget when the new Doudna opens.
"There is a real train wreck coming," he said.
Reed and Steve Shrake, associate director of design and construction, presented an update on campus projects to the senate.
Shrake expressed concern about the Campus Master Plan to the members of the senate.
He said the Board of Trustees approved the master plan in 1999. He added the board required the master plan to be updated every five years.
The update has not happened yet, Shrake said.
"I hope the master plan can be looked at right away," Shrake said.
He said upper administration formed a group in 1999 to look at campus needs at the time.
Needs listed in 1999 were the old Doudna Fine Arts Center and the Life Science building, Shrake said.
He said the master plan should be looked at again because needs have changed.
He discussed the issue of the steam plant to the Senate as one of those needs that should be examined.
"It has lived way past its life expectancy," Shrake said.
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