Meridiam-led consortium and its partner NORESCO (together known as “Bulldog Infrastructure Group”) have been selected as the developer for a 33-year public-private partnership (P3) contract to modernize and maintain Fresno State’s central utility infrastructure system.

The contract — valued at about $170 million — will address the campus hot- and chilled-water generation and distribution piping network providing more than 25,000 students, faculty and staff with energy-efficient and reliable heating and cooling. In addition to the construction of a new central utility plant, the project includes photovoltaic solar panels that will be built over existing campus parking lots to generate clean energy and energy conservation measures within buildings to reduce campus energy usage and carbon footprint.

The California State University Board of Trustees approved the development of the Central Utility Plant Replacement project on Jan. 27, and has authorized the execution of agreements necessary to complete the transaction.

“I am especially pleased that this innovative P3 partnership also includes hands-on experiences for our students, through six paid internships per semester plus two $2,500 scholarships annually throughout the term of the agreement,” said Fresno State Interim President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval. “Our students majoring in construction management, environmental science, sustainability and engineering for the ‘green collar’ job workforce will benefit from this partnership. In addition, there will be professional development opportunities for our faculty and staff.”

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