The steam plant at the Lake Shore Campus is one the oldest, most interesting, and most important buildings on campus. Yet, only a small number of students, staff, or faculty members have been inside.

A crew of 24 people keeps the plant operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Inside, it’s a maze of pipes, valves, boilers, vents, and machines—all to keep Loyolans comfortable in the winter and summer months.

Even though operating the plant is extremely complicated, it works on a simple principle. The cooling system works with two loops of water. One takes water that has been chilled in huge machines and sends it out to buildings on campus. When the water loses its cooling properties, it gets sent back to the plant and the loop starts over.

The second loop, or “tower water,” keeps the cooling machines cold. Water draws heat out of the chilling machines, exhausts the heat through a cascading tower on the roof, then plunges back into the plant to start over.

The heating system works on the same principle. Water is heated in the boilers, pressurized, and sent out to campus. When it loses its heat it returns to the plant.

The heating system is housed in one of the oldest buildings on campus, which dates back to 1908, the year that Dumbach Hall was completed.

The steam plant hides other secrets, too. Watch the video to find out more…

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