Vicinity Press Release
Summary
Vicinity Energy, owner of the nation’s largest portfolio of district energy systems, announces a 20-year steam contract with Walters Art Museum to provide heating and humidification to the landmark Baltimore facility, which encompasses 70,000 square feet of space. With 50 percent of its steam generated from renewables, the district energy system will deliver high-pressure sustainable steam for the museum, replacing the facility’s current boiler setup.
Walters Art Museum will receive approximately 12,000 pounds of steam per hour (pph), replacing its traditional boiler system and transitioning its two existing functional boilers to provide back-up energy as needed. Vicinity is funding the connection to the district system, resulting in zero up-front capital costs to the museum, enabling Walters to reallocate capital funds to support exhibits and other core offerings. Completion of the project is anticipated by April 2021.
“In order to preserve the historic artifacts housed in the Walters Art Museum, our buildings must meet precise humidification requirements. The reliability of district energy, in addition to its ability to meet the specifications of the museum’s exhibitions while also reducing our carbon footprint, makes Vicinity an excellent solution for Walters’s energy needs,” said Julia Marciari-Alexander, who serves as the Andrea B. and John H. Laporte Director.
In addition to providing the museum with steam, Vicinity Energy has committed to a long-term 20-year sponsorship of the Walters – underscoring Vicinity’s commitment to the city of Baltimore, its cultural artifacts, history and communities. Currently, Vicinity provides low-carbon district energy to 30 million square feet of buildings in Baltimore, reducing the region’s annual greenhouse gas emissions by 30,000 tons. As Vicinity advances its net zero carbon plan across all its operations, customers will continue to receive greener energy solutions as a result.
“Through renewable energy use and ongoing greening efforts, Vicinity’s district energy system provides immense opportunity to deliver greener, more reliable energy alternatives to Baltimore facilities, while dramatically reducing their carbon footprint,” said Bill DiCroce, president and CEO of Vicinity Energy. “We’re proud to be the long-term energy partner of such an important Baltimore institution as the Walters Art Museum and deliver reliable heating and the humidification required to preserve the city’s precious cultural artifacts.”
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