Cogeneration facilities are stations or plants that generate both useful heat and electricity at the same time.

Concept Design for CoGen Building

Construction of the facility, which will be integrated into the Central Heating Plant located south of the Crabtree Building, is expected to be completed by summer 2018.

Historically gas and coal have been used in the Central Heating Plant to heat and cool campus. BYU’s new Cogeneration Facility will replace the coal boilers with a natural-gas-powered turbine while two of the natural gas-fired boilers will remain as backup.

The new facility will provide heating and cooling capabilities for campus and will offset 30 to 50 percent of BYU’s current electrical needs, all without burning coal.

“Additionally, a Co-Gen facility is considered a green source of power and will reduce our emissions significantly,” said Paul Greenwood, BYU director of engineering and utilities.