The State of New York awarded Columbia University $5 million from the Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program (HECap) for the expansion of the Central Energy Plant, a facility that provides chilled water, high-pressure steam, and electricity for Columbia’s Manhattanville campus.
Located below the Jerome L. Greene Science Center and Lenfest Center for the Arts, the Central Energy Plant includes the latest energy efficient equipment, including dual-fuel boilers, chillers, and piping distribution under city streets.
The expansion of the plant will include additional energy efficient mechanical and electrical equipment that will be installed in the new space under W. 130th Street and on the rooftops of the Jerome L. Greene Science Center and the Studebaker building. Extensive piping and electrical conduits will interconnect the new equipment to existing piping and electrical systems to provide an integrated distribution system for the Manhattanville campus.
The HECap Program provides matching grants to private, non-profit, colleges and universities to finance capital projects and equipment purchases that create construction jobs and enhance communities in New York State. Grantees are required to invest at least $3 for every $1 provided by the state, must pay prevailing wage for the duration of the project, and comply with minority and women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) requirements.
The HECap Board approved a total of $67,128,101 for 39 projects as part of a competitive application process.
