Technical Tours

Friday, February 18, 2022
Breakfast and Pre-Tour Briefing: 7:30 am-9:00 am
Pre-registration is required for tours and space is limited.
Cost: $75 per person.
Participants will have the opportunity to visit either just Harvard University’s district energy plant or also visit MIT’s Central Utilities Plant and MATEP (Medical Area Total Energy Plant). Tours are subject to change.

Tour A - Harvard Only

Tour A will visit Harvard only. 9:00 am - 11:00 am. Airport drop off approximately 11:15 am before returning to hotel

Tour B - Harvard, MIT, & MATEP

Tour B will visit Harvard, MIT, AND Longwood MATEP (Medical Area Total Energy Plant). 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. Airport drop off approximately 1:30 pm before returning to hotel. 

The tour will visit Harvard’s recently completed District Energy Facility (DEF). The DEF supplies low temp hot water, chilled water, and electricity to the university’s new Allston campus. The facility also features combined heat and power, combined cooling and heating, an islandable microgrid, and thermal storage.

The MIT Central Utilities Plant generates and distributes electricity, steam, medium temp hot water (MTHW), and chilled water to the MIT Cambridge, MA campus. The plant was recently expanded and now generates electricity from two 20MW combustion turbines. Steam is primarily generated from Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSG) connected to the combustion turbines. Dual fuel boilers also exist for peak loads and backup purposes. MTHW is also produced from steam heat exchangers and distributed to several MIT buildings. Chilled water is produced from several steam turbine and electric chillers.

Located in the heart of Boston's Longwood Medical and Academic Area, this tour will feature the MATEP CHP district energy system which provides power, district heating and district cooling services critical to the health care delivery and research missions of the Harvard Medical School and affiliated hospitals in Longwood Area including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Brigham & Women's Hospital, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Joslin Diabetes Center. MATEP was awarded the EPA CHP Energy Star Award in 2013.