About

App State’s Innovation District will be powered by a zero-carbon district energy system that will begin to transition the university’s Boone campus away from steam power. App State has a long-established reputation as a leader in the renewable energy space, and the university is exploring renewable energy options that will establish a national example for sustainable energy solutions.

This system will generate and distribute renewable energy to support all planned facilities located in the district, including the STEM Academic Building and faculty and staff housing, which are under construction as part of the project’s first development phase.

Expected to be operational in 2025, the energy system is being designed as a flexible, modular system that can accommodate new energy technologies as the district grows. Initially, the system will comprise the following components:

• Two wind turbines that will contribute a combined 1.2 megawatts of wind power.
• Rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) panels capable of generating 120 kilowatts of power.
• A geothermal heating and cooling system consisting of 90 geothermal wells, geothermal heat pump chillers and wastewater heat recovery tanks.
• A central plant for managing the distribution of heating, cooling and electricity within the district.

App State’s Innovation District initiative will bring together expertise across disciplines and facilitate collaborations on campus and with the communities throughout the region, extending the university’s mission of teaching, research and service, preparing the workforce of today and building the workforce of tomorrow. The project is expected to have a lasting and powerful impact on the entire region, broadening economic development opportunities across Northwestern North Carolina. Learn more about App State’s Innovation District project.

Status

Construction of the Innovation District’s first phase of development is underway, and the zero-carbon district energy system is slated for completion in 2025. Phase 1 construction began in late July 2023, with the installation of erosion control fences and the removal of trees.

Interior mechanical, electrical and plumbing work is ongoing in the building that will serve as a control center for the district’s zero-carbon energy system — currently referred to as the District Energy System (DES) Building. Additionally, vertical construction is underway for the multistory buildings that will house App State faculty/staff.

Underground utilities (water, sewer, stormwater and fiber-optic cable systems) have been installed across the Innovation District site, and a retaining wall has been completed near the site of the district’s housing. Upcoming work includes installing heat pump chillers and pumps within the DES Building. And the planning and development process will soon begin for the first wind turbine to be installed at the Innovation District site.

App State has entered a public-private partnership (P3) agreement with Harrison Street Real Estate LLC, which was approved by the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors in January 2023. Harrison Street is responsible for the development, construction and operation of the district’s zero-carbon energy system.

In July 2022, the board approved the pre-development letter of intent for the district’s first phase, as well as App State’s pursuit of P3 agreements for both the energy system and the faculty and staff housing.

App State ceremoniously broke ground on the first phase of development for the Innovation District — beginning with the STEM Academic Building — on March 25, 2022.

How is it funded?

The district’s zero-carbon energy system will be supported through a public-private partnership (P3) that does not rely upon state funds, or any capital from the university.

Who will benefit?

All those who visit and take part in App State’s Innovation District — from faculty, staff and students to partner organizations in the local and regional communities — will benefit from the zero-carbon energy system component of the project, as the system will power all district facilities.

Additionally, faculty, staff and students will have opportunities to engage in research focused on the renewable technologies of the district’s energy system.

How does it support App State strategic priorities?

The district’s zero-carbon energy system supports the following strategic priorities of the university:

• Providing Exceptional Educational Experiences — specifically by leveraging technology to support teaching and learning.
• Advancing Research, Innovation and Creativity — through advancing knowledge and promoting discovery and the application of findings that benefit the region, state, nation and world.
• Strengthening Resilience and Sustainability — the system’s renewable technologies will serve to strengthen the university’s culture of sustainability and the resilience of its campus community.
• Advancing Local, Regional and Global Engagement — the Innovation District is expected to have a lasting and powerful impact on the entire region, broadening economic development opportunities across Northwestern North Carolina.

How does it support UNC System Goals and Metrics?

Through the Innovation District project, powered by the zero-carbon energy system, App State can produce more graduates in critical workforce areas for North Carolina — identified in the UNC System’s strategic plan as STEM, health sciences, K-12 education and emerging workforce areas — who are capable of addressing the needs of the world.

By powering the Innovation District, the zero-carbon energy system aligns with these System goals:

• Student Success — through research engagement with the system, App State students will develop competencies such as critical and creative thinking, technology proficiency, resilience and collaboration, among others.
• Economic Impact and Community Engagement — the Innovation District is expected to have a lasting and powerful impact on the entire region, broadening economic development opportunities across Northwestern North Carolina.