UTILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Many of the campus plan’s most important projects relate to infrastructural improvements or maintenance, with many of the proposed facility renovations, grounds projects, and circulation projects serving as tandem opportunities to repair or enhance the campus’s infrastructure.

Key goals for the overall utilities and infrastructure system are:

• Facilitate the implementation of the campus plan by first developing a comprehensive survey of campus utilities

• Reduce overall campus operating expenses by restoring deteriorated assets and improving the energy efficiency of building systems

• Improve Alcorn’s resilience by reducing dependence on exterior utilities and providing backup generators for critical facilites

• Improve student safety and campus walkability by implementing the campus security lighting plan, updated to align with the campus plan

• Comprehensively improve campus accessibility by pairing planned ADA compliance efforts with campus plan projects as they are implemented

The proposed campus-wide civil survey is a catalytic project for the campus plan, enabling a proactive understanding of site and utility constraints and opportunities for each subsequent project. The survey should include a load-flow analysis to detect any undersized electrical lines or equipment that need to be upgraded, and an underground survey for electrical, gas, fiber, sewer, and water utility systems.

The following are the campus plan’s proposed improvements for each specific utility and infrastructure system. More detailed recommendations are contained in Appendix A.

Water Supply

The proposed long-term improvements to water supply infrastructure include the replacement of damaged and undersized water piping (less than four inches in diameter) throughout the Lorman Campus. To reduce water and energy use and costs, upgrades to more efficient equipment are also proposed, including installation of additional fire hydrants, upgrading domestic water heaters with a preference for gas power, and the integration of low-flow plumbing fixtures.

Stormwater Management

Improvements to stormwater management should focus on tempering stormwater runoff to mitigate erosion, and potential stormwater capture to offset irrigation demand for the campus grounds. To this end, the campus plan proposes replacing or providing gutter and downspout systems for administrative and classroom buildings, and installing detention cisterns in appropriate locations across campus. These installations could help alleviate flooding and reduce water use.

A parking lot resurfacing plan should be developed to prioritize repairs to the most deteriorated parking lots, since targeted resurfacing will mitigate severe deterioration due to runoff. Also, erosion repairs and protection should be conducted in critical areas of the campus, applying best management practices.

Sanitary Sewer

Recommended sanitary sewer system improvements include the replacement of the old and deteriorated lines in classrooms and residential buildings. If connections to the treatment plants require replacement, this should be coordinated with circulation and grounds improvement projects as appropriate.

Once both of the campus’s clarifiers are operational, it is recommended that the wastewater treatment lagoon be taken offline and capped to prevent future leaks and avoid unnecessary maintenance costs.

Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing

Recommendations for MEP systems include both near-term and long-term projects. The two projects that are most urgent are the maintenance of chilled water pipeline insulation and the provision of drain pipelines for HVAC equipment in administrative, classrooms, and residential facilities, and the upgrade or replacement of fans and heaters in the athletics facilities.

For the long-term, proposed improvements include:

• Provision of fire protection sprinklers in administrative, classroom, and residential buildings

• Upgrade or replacement of the electrical distribution system throughout the Lorman Campus

• Addition or upgrade of backup power generators, with priority given to the School of Nursing and ASU Family Clinic, facilities, security, EMS, and administrative facilities

• Installation of humidity and temperature protection for IT closets

• Upgrade of interior and exterior lighting with occupancy sensors and controls for energy savings

• Installation of solar panels on flat roofs or in peripheral fields for the provision of renewable energy and potential energy cost savings

• Upgrading or replacement of chillers, air handlers, and split systems in administrative, classroom, and residential buildings

• Creation of clustered chilled and hot water systems aimed at the reduction of dependence on central utilities and the improvement of the campus’s resilience to inclement weather

• The provision of a Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS) and Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV), to increase HVAC energy and cost savings in key facilities