With major strides toward decarbonization, Brown to create sustainable thermal energy system

"This is a multiyear process during which the University will coordinate closely with local community leaders, neighbors, and members of the Brown community who use Page-Robinson Hall and adjacent spaces who may be temporarily impacted during construction," Guglielmo said. "We envision an addition that enhances Page-Robinson's façade, provides seamless, low-impact energy operations, and substantially modernizes campus heating operations."

Project planners expect that Page-Robinson Hall - which houses administrative offices, classrooms and the campus Mail Services - will remain open during construction with some temporary modifications.

Two additional elements of Phase I of the Sustainable Thermal Energy Program will be less visible but equally essential in advancing energy efficiency and resiliency: Brown's legacy central heating plant is expected to transition to a local, independent heating system dedicated solely to the Erickson Athletics Complex; and the current Sidney Frank Hall heating system will be augmented with advanced heat recovery systems to capture and recycle energy, reducing peak heating demands.

The estimated timeline is for the new energy system to be fully online by 2030, yielding an immediate reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 8% to 10%.

"This is part of a dynamic, evolving planning process designed to minimize infrastructure vulnerabilities while enhancing campus resiliency and efficiency," Berry said. "We will establish a vital structural foundation required to pivot toward decarbonization of campus heating and cooling in the years to come."

Building toward decarbonization

The Sustainable Thermal Energy Program is part of Brown's larger commitment to reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2040 and builds on a set of ambitious actions and milestones, first outlined in 2019. Chief among those is the landmark Dry Bridge solar energy project, which is one of the largest solar photovoltaic projects in Rhode Island and generates enough power to offset two-thirds of on-campus electricity consumption for Brown, which is the project's exclusive off-taker.

Brown has continued to strategically and aggressively combat climate change through other measures, too, from using more sustainable building and cleaning materials and reducing meat consumption in campus dining, to electrifying campus vehicles and grounds equipment and advancing strategies to reengineer campus to eliminate fossil fuels entirely, including the exploration of geothermal energy.