University News

Chilled Water Loop Project Progresses Through Campus

April 20, 2023

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MACOMB, IL - - Western Illinois University announced in October 2022 the investment of $24 million in funding from the Illinois Board of Higher Education going toward several deferred maintenance projects, including an updated chilled water loop for the WIU Macomb campus.

Work began Oct. 3 on an almost $12 million project to install a chilled water loop. The project will continue to move through different phases and will affect different areas of campus from a predicted timeline of April-September, according to Facilities Management Deputy Director Ted Renner.

"The chilled water loop update will not only provide cooling for our new Center for the Performing Arts building, but it will increase the efficiency and reliability of cooling the buildings on the south side of campus, as well as add redundancy to the cooling capacity," said WIU Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management Troy Rhoads. "Part of this initial project will include establishing a chilled water plant in the Heating Plant Annex, and eventually, we will connect to the north side campus."

The contractor will be digging and/or directional-boring to install piping and interconnect the buildings, resulting in a project that will be invasive to the campus south of Murray Street. Accessibility routes will be maintained throughout the entirety of the project, and work is predicted to be completed by Fall 2023.

Phases:
Phase 1 - April 3-28
Phase 2 - May 1-June 2
Phase 3 - June 5-30
Phase 4 - July 3-31
Phase 5 - Aug. 1-Sept. 1
Phase 6 - Sept. 4-22

The dates of the phases are subject to change as the contractor experiences schedule delays, material shortages, etc. Facilities Management will update the time frames as they become available.

For questions, contact Renner at T-Renner@wiu.edu or (309)-298-1834.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing