Article published by U.S. Department of Energy, link to article HERE.
Geothermal Supports Optimal Learning Environments
When Manny Arvon, the former superintendent of the Berkeley County School District in West Virginia, had the opportunity to replace heating and cooling systems in 10 of the county’s schools, he learned that geothermal heat pump (GHP) systems could reduce energy costs and system maintenance while improving energy efficiency.
But that’s not even what sold him on geothermal. Because Manny was committed to providing optimum learning environments for the county’s students, he especially liked geothermal’s promise of quiet, comfortable, and reliable heating and cooling for the schools.
10 Schools, 27 Miles of Boreholes, Two Summer Breaks
With many of its schools more than 100 years old, the school district knew replacing aging heating and air conditioning systems was a top priority. The growing district could not afford to close any schools for renovations, however, and school schedules could not be disrupted.
The Berkeley County School District tackled these challenges by renovating all 10 schools over just two summer breaks. The concentrated timeframe required planning and coordination with various contractors but also helped keep costs down.
The projects were massive, with about 27 miles of boreholes drilled across 400 wells. Even so, the work was completed on time and the buildings were clean and ready for the first day of school.
A+ for Energy Efficiency and Year-Round Comfort
Berkeley County School District officials say the new geothermal heat pump systems substantially lessen background noise and improve indoor air quality. Thanks to these geothermal upgrades, energy use in the 10 schools has been cut by 75%.
“The geothermal heat pump systems we’ve installed in Berkeley County District Schools are so successful, we are planning to install them in three new schools. If you’re thinking of installing a geothermal heat pump system, it should be a no-brainer. Go with geothermal.”
Ty Tyson, Executive Director of Maintenance & Facilities, Department of Maintenance, Berkeley County Schools
Contacts:
For questions about this case study, contact Paul “Ty” Tyson, ptyson@k12.wv.us.
For any website technical issues or general questions about geothermal heat pumps, contact DOE.Geothermal@ee.doe.gov.