New York City’s century-old steam network still provides heat to Manhattanites in iconic buildings and regular apartment blocks, relying on a 105-mile grid of pipework. Steam is used for various purposes, from pressing linens at The Waldorf Astoria to heating water and spaces in homes and businesses. The system was developed in 1882 and has since heated over 1.8 billion square feet of residential space in Manhattan. This unique district-level heating system was a significant innovation that helped fuel the growth and vertical expansion of Manhattan in the nineteenth century. Today, the infrastructure, now owned by ConEd, continues to operate, delivering steam through a vast network of pipes buried under the city streets.
https://worksinprogress.co/issue/steam-networks/