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The School
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Benefits
of Geothermal
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How it Works
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Webster City
Middle School
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- The geothermal
heating reduces noise, is a cleaner energy source, and is easier
to maintain than the old system.
- The system
saves the district $7,000 in annual energy costs.
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Webster City’s
vertical loop system consists of 384 bores ranging from 100 to 300
feet deep. Water circulating through pipes is kept warm or cool
by the constant temperatures in the earth.
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Iowa Central
Community College
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- Cut heating
costs by one third in the dorms where the system is being used.
- The system
offers an added bonus because the dorms now have air-conditioning
which is rare in most college dormitories.
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Lime Springs
Elementary
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- The school
has estimated that it is saving $3,500 in energy costs per year,
avoiding the use of up to 13,000 gallons of heating oil.
- They now
have air conditioning.
- The fields
where the coils are buried now serve as a playground and ball
field.
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The school installed
a 28-loop heat pump system that provides heating and air conditioning
to all classrooms and office areas.
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Clark College
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- The installation
cost the college about $60,000 more than a traditional system
would have, but the school had that cost covered through a construction
loan and sizeable utility rebate.
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The geothermal
heat pump system consists of 48 bores and 20 heat pumps, providing
heating and cooling for the entire 30,000 square-foot building for
dormitories.
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Oelwein Middle
School
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- The school
had to choose to either replace 12 rooftop-heating units for more
than 1 million dollars or install a geothermal system for $850,000,
which would in turn save one third of the annual operating costs.
The school received a $850,000 low interest loan.
- This school
expects to save $23,000 per year.
- The project
was financed through the DNR’s Iowa Energy Bank Program.
- The school’s
insurance costs have decreased because it no longer uses natural
gas.
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