Geothermal

Chippewa Nature Center is growing greener! By now, hopefully you’ve heard about our fantastic new Nature Preschool (see diagram) and upcoming expansion of the Visitor Center. The expansion will add additional space for more classrooms, an auditorium for large groups and enough office space to finally fit our entire staff. During the design of our new facilities, CNC staff worked closely with Kubala-Washatko architects to make our expanded facilities as energy efficient and environmentally friendly as possible.

One way to greatly reduce energy consumption is by using a geothermal heating and cooling system. Geothermal pumps use the stable temperatures of the ground as a heat source to warm buildings in winter and as a heat sink to cool them in summer. If you’ve ever explored a cave or been in a tunnel, you may know that the temperature deep underground stays amazingly stable throughout the year (about 55-60 degrees F). By boring vertical wells underground (typically 100 to 400 feet deep), we’re able to borrow some of this stored energy to use for heating and cooling the building.

A geothermal heat pump doesn't create heat by burning fuel, like a furnace does. Instead, in winter it collects the Earth's natural heat through a series of pipes, called a loop, installed below the surface of the ground. Fluid circulates through the loop and carries the heat to a compressor unit in the building. This electrically-driven device acts as a heat exchanger to concentrate the Earth's energy and release it inside at a higher temperature in winter.

In summer, the system draws heat from the building and transfers it into the earth through the loop. Cool liquid then runs from the Earth back into the building. Inside the newly-constructed portions of the building, plastic pipes will run underneath poured concrete, forming a “water-to-water” radiant slab system. In current portions of the building, a “water-to-air” system will use forced air in order to heat and cool the building.

Geothermal systems aren't just for big places! Many people have discovered the energy-saving benefits of geothermal right in their very own homes. For a great introduction to everything about geothermal energy, check out this Energy Kids Website.