All campus utility plants are open for small-group, operator-guided tours (starting in August 2015). Tours are meant to give the general public, students and others a view into how we produce and deliver steam, chilled water and other services that often go unnoticed yet are critical for day-to-day building operations.
What will you Experience
Tours will include all facets of the operations within the plants. Different methods are employed (depending on the plant) to produce the services required to heat, cool and power the campus buildings.
Tour groups will learn how energy can be converted to other usable services and be exposed to a wide range of equipment used for the production and distribution of services.
Safety Precautions
The tours are offered for individuals or groups up to five people. Individuals must be at least 16 years old.
Due to the environment within an operating utility plant, a person can expect to be exposed to vibration, a high volume of noise, stairs and heat (dependent upon the season). Flat shoes are required (floor grating makes up some parts of the floor).
Tour groups can be no larger than five people at a time. Individuals will be issued a set of communication headphones, which will provide hearing protection from the equipment noise and make it easier to hear the tour guide. The headphones system also offers the ability for visitors to ask questions of the tour guide.
Hours and Parking
Tour(s) may be scheduled for the first Friday of every month. Individuals wishing to go on a tour will have the opportunity to tour any individual plant or all the plants at each campus. Tours start at 10:00 am and will always begin at the City Plant.
Tour participants should park within the gates at the City Plant at 905 North 14th Street. The parking area is on the west side of the building. Transportation to other plant sites will be provided by the utility staff via motor pool van or other University vehicle.
Please plan for a duration of 2 to 2.5 hours to see all four current plants. The four plants include the following:
- City Campus Utility Plant
- CRES (Centralized Renewable Energy System) Plant @ Nebraska Innovation Campus
- East Campus Utility Plant
- East Campus TES (Thermal Energy Storage) Plant
- City Campus TES (Thermal Energy Storage) Plant
