They allow new connections to the system to be made easily. A spur tunnel connects the main ring to the Arts complex. High Temp is used for making building heating water, domestic and industrial hot water, and low-pressure steam generation. The low-pressure steam is used for autoclaves, bottle sterilizers, and cage washers. It is also used in laboratory processes and for humidification in some buildings.
Chilled water is used for comfort cooling, dehumidification, and process cooling.
Compressed air is supplied for instrumentation and automation functions. Additionally, it is used in laboratories. High Temp is generated by two heat exchangers. The exchangers installed in 1996 replaced the original direct contact heat exchanger that had served the campus since 1964. To put that in perspective, it is the rough equivalent of 20,000 large electric space heaters.