Project Overview
An Energy Transition for a More Resilient Campus
In 2024, Dartmouth committed to accelerated infrastructure renewal and deferred maintenance that will keep our campus functioning efficiently year-round. Part of this commitment includes continuing the transition from steam- to hot-water heating. Dartmouth will reshape how we heat, cool, and power campus to meet our needs while exponentially improving our energy efficiency.
Diversifying Our Energy Sources
Our phased approach to balancing our campus energy technology portfolio includes reducing fossil fuels and increasing the use of renewable resources. This will help us meet our energy needs while generating zero carbon emissions.
Part of a Larger Plan
A more energy efficient campus is only part of our commitment to connect, strengthen, and leverage Dartmouth’s existing work on climate. We are investing more than $500 million in the next five years to accelerate infrastructure renewal and deferred maintenance that will keep Dartmouth’s campus functioning efficiently year-round, with campus becoming a living lab as the projects become drivers of new research, teaching, and collaboration.
Incorporating Community Feedback
Over the last 10 years, we have looked at nearly every available technology to heat and cool our campus. This includes natural gas, compressed natural gas, biomass, bio-oil, air source heat pumps, and more. We seriously considered large-scale wood biomass but pivoted from that approach after feedback from alumni and Hanover residents led us to consider other options including new technologies.
Progress Update: Fall 2026
So far we have installed 3.5 miles of new efficient water pipe! The complete transformation of Dartmouth’s energy infrastructure won’t happen overnight. To minimize major disruptions to campus, Dartmouth has carefully planned project phases that bring small parts of the system online at a time. Our planning is iterative and adjusts as conditions change.Our original planning scheduled geo-exchange borefield installation by 2028 but, as we dove deeper and spoke to peers, we adjusted our immediate focus on installing new pipe carrying hot and chilled water in order to address areas where steam pipe was at end of life and at risk of failure. We also learned from peers that building demand and distribution ahead of supply might be a better approach.
In Progress: Distribution Piping & Building Conversions
Dartmouth’s priority is our steam to hot water transition, and to achieve this we must start with these two projects. Steam distribution piping is being replaced with new, highly efficient hot water piping. Buildings will be updated to receive hot water distribution.