The Trail
Summary
The University is examining potential sustainability solutions to reach its standing goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. Facilities Services is working with consulting group McKinstry to determine the potential efficacy of geothermal heating and cooling systems in campus buildings.
Currently, only Weyerhaeuser Hall is heated and cooled using geothermal energy; all other campus buildings burn natural gas, which contributes to global warming and creates health hazards that disproportionately harm communities of color. Facilities data from October 2021 to March 2022 — the months when the most natural gas is burned for heat — shows that, when combined, Regester, Trimble, Seward and Todd Phibbs use enough natural gas to fill nine Olympic swimming pools on average per month.
Geothermal energy takes advantage of the constant ground temperature, which is cooler than air temperature on hot days, and warmer on cold days. This trait provides a base-level water temperature, which is adjusted using electrical energy to the desired end-use temperature. It is considered a reliable renewable resource, and a scalable solution to the United States’ emissions problems. University campuses are one of the forefronts of this technology’s application; more than 100 campuses across the country have adopted it, and the federal government has begun developing incentive systems for broader implementation.
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