VCU commissioned Wiley|Wilson to prepare a study for the Monroe Park Steam Plant in 2010. The study identified and addressed deficiencies in the steam plant and distribution system and provided options to guide the University in decisions for upgrades or replacements. Options for providing additional steam capacity to serve additional building heating loads were also presented. Major objectives considered included reductions in fuel consumption, reductions in operating and maintenance costs, enhanced reliability, and making a significant positive contribution to the University’s sustainability goals.

The Monroe Park Steam Plant serves nine buildings with steam for heating. The plant and equipment is old and in need of replacement, as are boilers located in most of the buildings that are not served by the central plant.

A number of alternative fuels, energy sources and types of steam generators were considered for heating of the VCU Monroe Park Campus. The study also looked at which buildings should be served from a central steam plant or plants.

Several options were considered and were eliminated after preliminary investigation including a new “greenfield” steam plant in a different location. Life cycle costs over a 25-year period were modeled for the most favorable options, and environmental emissions were estimated for each.