Untitled Page

Energy

Geothermal for your School - Go the Extra Mile

Geothermal energy can be used for heating applications like geothermal direct use or ground source heat pumps, but can also be used to produce electricity. For more information about the different geothermal applications and about the geographic location of geothermal resources, check out our UPLOAD KNOWLEDGE SECTION.

Options for your School!
Geothermal heat pumps (also known as geoexchange systems) are the most applicable geothermal technology for a school. Watch the short heating & cooling systems video by GeoExchange.org to learn more about this technology and the fact that it works even in mild temperature areas and shallow applications. The two general types of geothermal heat pumps are closed-loop and open-loop systems. Closed-loop systems cycle water or an antifreeze and water combination through a pipe system in the ground. They are more environmentally-friendly, require less maintenance, usually last longer, but are more expensive to install. Open-loop systems draw water from the ground, cycle it through the building, and then discharge it back into the ground. They are usually cheaper to install, but require a plentiful supply of ground or surface water, and require more maintenance because of silt buildup within the system.

~Pros

EPA reports that geothermal heat pumps have the lowest life cycle cost of all the heating systems.

DOE reports that because they are cheaper to operate and maintain than traditional systems, average energy savings can range from 30%-60% per year.
According to the Geo-Heat Center, almost anywhere in the United States is suitable for geothermal heat pumps, whereas that’s not true for biomass or wind.

Normal combustion-based heating systems create the threat of carbon monoxide while geothermal systems don’t produce any indoor air pollutants.
Geothermal heat pumps are 48% more efficient than gas furnaces and 75% more efficient than oil furnaces according to the EPA.
They can also provide low-cost hot water, but most heat pumps can’t meet all of a building’s hot water needs.
They have low operating and maintenance costs.
Closed-loop systems have a life expectancy of over 55 years.

~Cons

The initial installation cost is usually higher than traditional fossil-fuel systems.
Open-loop systems are not feasible unless there is a fast recharge rate for the water supply, and even if there is, the system may still tax the water supply. Though closed loop systems are more expensive, they don’t draw from a ground or surface water supply and they require less maintenance.

Is geothermal feasible for your school?
There are two important things to evaluate before even considering the general cost-effectiveness of a project at your school. First, ground source heat pumps are most efficient in buildings that have well-insulated and sealed ducts, and not so efficient in buildings that leak a lot. How well insulated is your building? Second, the Department of Energy explains that you’ll also need to evaluate the physical features of your land, looking at the underground geology, hydrology, and the general land availability. The physical features will not only tell you whether a heat pump is feasible, but also what size heat pump would be needed, what type (open or closed), and how long the piping needs to be to collect the desired heat. The Virginia Tech Geothermal Data Home Page may help you gauge feasibility because it provides data on the available heat flow underground and practical applications of low-temperature geothermal for states from Georgia to New Jersey. Scroll to the second half of the screen to see the data for your individual state.

The Geo-Heat Center offers a limited amount of technical assistance in evaluating feasibility at the outset of a project. For most schools, however, you’ll have to depend on the expertise of a potential installer so that they can gauge the feasibility of their own proposed project.

Sweet success at other schools!
Read about how Midland School District in South Dakota has heated their elementary and high schools for over 30 years with geothermal. They’ve avoided the pinch of high heating costs that so many other schools across the country suffer from.

Check out other successful case studies in schools and other buildings from the Oregon Institute of Technology’s Geo-Heat Center.

Ready to dive into a project?
Start by reading this guide from the Department of Energy to get you up to speed on the basics of getting a heat pump installed. Then, the Virginia Tech Geothermal Data Home Page offers some more detailed guides to help you along your way, and the Oregon Institute of Technology’s Geo-Heat Center can provide technical assistance and advice as you take on a project.

To find geothermal professionals in your area, call the Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium’s toll free number, 888-333-4472. When you talk to them, use the term "GeoExchange" in place of “geothermal heat pump.” You can also search the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association’s online business directory of accredited installers and designers.

As you go about your project, you’ll want to check on the local codes and legal requirements for small renewable energy systems, as provided here by the Department of Energy.

For any more questions, check out this list of resources on helping you install geothermal heat pumps from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Where can we find funding?
For any size geothermal project you’re considering, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency provides information on grants and financial assistance that may be available to you.