For the first time in the United States, a supplemental groundwater pumping system will increase the efficiency of a closed-loop geothermal system.
The Roosevelt Island campus of Cornell Tech, Cornell University’s applied technology program, will obtain all of the heating, cooling and domestic hot water for its Emma and Georgina Bloomberg Center from the ground source heat pump system without combusting any fossil fuels. Together, the facility’s energy-efficient design, solar PV panels and the innovative heat pump will save roughly 500 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
The Bloomberg Center’s geothermal system relies on water-filled fissures in the local bedrock. The water is tapped by 80 boreholes, each 400 feet deep, as part of the groundwater pumping system. This process then increases the efficiency of the closed-loop geothermal system, ensuring lower energy use and a smaller environmental impact.
“The Bloomberg Center’s innovative ground source heat pump system is a perfect match for Cornell’s mission of education, research and outreach,” says Steve Beyers, Energy Engineer at Cornell University. “It demonstrates respect for the environment while saving energy dollars for investment into our education mission, but it’s also a great experiment in new technology.”
