City Receives Federal Grant For Geothermal Heating And Cooling System
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the City of Raleigh a $1.3 million grant for a geothermal heating and cooling system at the new Wilders Grove Solid Waste Service (SWS) Center. The state-of-the-art center will be built on the site of the City’s now closed Wilder Grove’s Landfill off of New Bern Avenue in east Raleigh.
The $1.3 million federal grant will cover about half of the estimated $2.6 million cost of the geothermal heating and cooling system for the Wilders Grove SWS Center. City funds will be used to cover the rest of the system cost. Installation of the geothermal heating and cooling system follows the City Council’s adopted policy of using renewable energy in municipal buildings to enhance energy efficiency.
Geothermal heating and cooling systems use ground temperatures as an energy source for heating and cooling comfort. Though outdoor temperatures fluctuate throughout the year with seasonal changes, ground temperatures four to six feet below the Earth’s surface remain relatively moderate and constant year-round. The geothermal heating and cooling system uses pumps to circulate water from a series of wells through an underground loop piping system.
During the heating cycle, the water circulating through the loop piping system extracts heat from the ground. The geothermal unit compresses the extracted heat to a high temperature and, in this case, delivers it to the Wilders Grove SWS Center though a heat system. The process is reversed for the cooling cycle. Because the earth is much cooler than the air temperatures on a hot day, the geothermal system removes heat from a business or residence and deposits it into the ground. This results in cooler indoor temperatures. Also, some of the heat that is removed by the geothermal system can be used to heat water.
The geothermal heating and cooling system at the Wilders Grove SWS Center is expected to pay for itself and produce energy savings just two years after its installation. Energy savings from the unit are anticipated to be more than 30 percent compared to a conventional heating, ventilating and air conditioning system, the City of Raleigh estimates. Additional savings of 20 percent are expected from hot water heating provided by the system. Furthermore, the geothermal unit will help the City achieve its goal of reducing its use of fossil fuels by 20 percent over five years.
The estimated $21.2 million Wilders Grove SWS Center will be among the first remote operations facilities built by the City of Raleigh to make City services more convenient to residents. The 24,000-square-foot facility will sit on 20 acres and house all of the City’s Solid Waste Services Department staff and vehicles. It will replace Solid Waste Services’ headquarters location at 400 W. Peace St. Construction is expected to begin next February, with completion in August 2011.
The City of Raleigh plans to seek Gold LEED certification for the Wilders Grove SWS Center. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is granted by the U.S. Green Building Council for meeting high standards of environmentally sustainable construction. The geothermal heating and cooling system is expected to help the Wilders Grove SWS Center achieve the Gold LEED certification. The center would be the first Gold LEED certified facility built and owned by the City of Raleigh.
Prepared by:
John Boyette
Public Affairs Specialist
Public Affairs Department
For More Information Contact:
Fred Battle
Director
Solid Waste Services Department
400 W. Peace Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
919-996-6890
