BYU-I looking to dedicate three new facilities this fall
As Brigham Young University-Idaho continues to grow, so does the need for more space and updated facilities. Come this fall, the university plans to dedicate three new facilities/buildings for use.
The first of those new buildings is the updated university power plant, which now burns clean natural gas instead of coal. “Obviously natural gas is clean,” said Wayne Clark, the BYU-I University Operations Managing Director. “Coal is a dirty operation. We needed to renovate it and keep it in-line with EPA and Idaho environmental standards.”
The new gas fired power plant produces about 4.5 megawatts (4.5 million watts) of power. That’s enough power to provide around half of the campus’ electrical needs in the summer, and most of its electrical needs in the winter.
The plant also has a co-generation unit that allows the university to use the steam from the electrical generation to heat campus buildings. Clark said between steam heating and greater building efficiency, the school can meet all of its winter heating needs for campus.
The other buildings expected to be dedicated this fall include the new Science and Technology building on the south end of campus, and the Agricultural Center (Ag Center) on the west side of town. Both facilities are state-of-the-art, and school leaders say they’ll provide great learning environments for students.
“The most exciting part is the hands on capabilities that the new facility lends,” said Zeph Quirl, the Animal/Food Science department chair. “People in general are probably more hands on learners than they are auditory or visual learners. So if they can actually read about it, and then go out and do it, that helps a lot in the learning process.”
Quirl says his department in particular will benefit from these new buildings as the students will have lecture and studies in the technology building, and practice what they learn at the Ag Center. “We’ve had several businesses within the industry that have reached looking for joint research opportunities,” said Quirl. “That’s great for the students.”
Both the power plant and the Ag Center are operational right now. A second phase of renovations and changes at the Ag Center are scheduled to begin soon.The Science and Technology center is still under construction and will be for the rest of the summer. BYU-I plans to host fall 2016 semester classes in the upper floors, and finish the basement in time for the following semester.
