Tempe District Utility Plant and Thermal Energy Storage

Located on ASU’s Tempe campus, the new 20,000-square-foot Tempe District Utility Plant (TDUP) and 12,000 square feet of thermal energy storage beneath the Mill Avenue Parking Structure provide essential utility infrastructure to meet the university’s expanding academic, research, and housing demands.

The plant delivers 9,000 tons of cooling capacity and supports 30,000 ton-hours of stored cooling for peak times, using ice production during off-peak hours to reduce energy costs and emissions. The facility includes three stories of specialized systems: primary equipment at grade, pumps on a mezzanine, and cooling towers and coils on the roof. Additional systems beneath the parking structure optimize operations and sustainability performance.

Designed with glass-fronted lower levels for visibility, the utility plant doubles as a “living lab” where students can observe mechanical and electrical systems in action.