Northampton High School begins $11.6 million geothermal heating project
The project will use a ground-source heat pump drawing heat from 850 feet below the school's parking lot and is expected to be complete in 2027.
NORTHAMPTON — City officials and representatives from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center gathered on Oct. 15 to mark the start of construction on a $11.6 million geothermal project at Northampton High School. The system will replace the school's outdated heating and cooling equipment and cut carbon emissions by half, according to Department of Climate Action and Project Administration Director Ben Weil.
The geothermal installation, which extends 850 feet beneath the school's parking lot, will use a ground-source heat pump to regulate indoor conditions by drawing heat from the earth's stable underground temperature. Weil said a ground-source heat pump is the most efficient way to provide heating and cooling. The school's current chillers are past their expected useful life and will need replacement within five years, and the boilers are also nearing the end of their lifespan, making the geothermal approach a proactive solution for the 1940 building.
The geothermal project was authorized by the City Council last December using Climate Stabilization funds and municipal bonds. In May, the city was awarded $4 million through the Mass. CEC Green School Works program to support the installation, part of $19 million distributed statewide through the program.
Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra said the new system is expected to last at least 100 years and was funded through stabilization funds, grant money, tax incentives, utility incentives, and borrowing. The heating and cooling system is projected to reduce energy costs by 17%, maintenance costs by up to 50%, and total energy use by 68%, based on earlier estimates.
The high school accounts for approximately 10% of the city's total carbon emissions. Jamie Scott, program manager for the Green School Works Program through MassCEC, said the program aims to inspire commonwealth schools to become more efficient, comfortable, and emission free. Over the last three years, the program has committed over $72 million to Massachusetts schools.
Construction is expected to be completed sometime in 2027, according to the city.