Syracuse University today announced a long-term alliance with Enwave Energy to operate the University Steam Station. The partnership will support ongoing campus growth with reliable and sustainable energy.
The University first announced the review of its steam operations in 2018, as part of the Division of Business, Finance and Administrative Services’ (BFAS) strategic planning process, which sought to align University resources and assets with its vision and mission. After a comprehensive evaluation, the University decided to transfer operation of the Steam Station.
“This partnership allows Syracuse University to focus our resources in support of our core mission: excellence in teaching, learning, research and scholarship,” says Amir Rahnamay-Azar, senior vice president of BFAS and chief financial officer. “We are delighted to have secured a best-in-class, specialized energy partner to operate and modernize our Steam Station. The University looks forward to working closely with our partners at Enwave.”
All Syracuse University employees assigned to the Steam Station have accepted new positions with Enwave and received comparable compensation and benefits packages. The relationship between the University’s Energy Systems and Sustainability Management department and Enwave will be managed through the Campus Development and Facilities Operations team under the leadership of Pete Sala, vice president and chief facilities officer.
The agreement is a result of months of close collaboration with the Enwave team, says Adam Fumarola, senior associate vice president for real estate and asset management, who managed the concession agreement process. A true partnership was formed, according to Fumarola, allowing for the development of the mutually beneficial alliance.
“This agreement will support the growth, jobs and environmental imperatives that will drive future planning on our campus,” says Rahnamay-Azar. “Our partnership with Enwave is expected to result in a modern state-of-the-art facility, which will provide reliable, sustainable energy to the University area for decades to come.”
The Steam Station operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It not only heats and cools buildings on the Syracuse University campus, it also serves the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse VA Medical Center and Crouse Irving Memorial Hospital. Under this agreement, Enwave will also support several new additions to campus, including the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building and the Barnes Center at The Arch, as well as the sizable renovations and upgrades to the Schine Student Center and stadium, which will include the addition of air conditioning.
“We are grateful to Syracuse University for the opportunity to lead the Steam Station’s operations,” says Doug Castleberry, president and chief operating officer, Enwave USA. “We are proud to be the University’s long-term partner in building a world-class district energy system on campus that will serve the broader community and support the University’s vision for growth.”
After nearly six decades of operation, the Steam Station requires significant material repairs and efficiency upgrades. Enwave, which assumed operational control of the Steam Station following the Sept. 30, 2020 closing, will develop a robust energy management program for the campus and all of the buildings it serves. Further review of Steam Station modernization plans will continue into the spring. Moving forward, the University will continue to make investments in physical landscapes, buildings, and infrastructure to pursue opportunities in alignment with and in support of its academic priorities.
