A school district located just outside Chicago has become the first to implement a Dynamic Closed Loop geothermal system.
North Shore School District 112 faced aging infrastructure and was committed to finding sustainable and energy efficient solutions that could serve generations of students to come. The district partnered with Trane to explore the potential of geothermal energy.
The DCL technology harnesses superior heat transfer properties of flowing water, requiring significantly less physical space. The system has three wells drilled down 10-inch borehols. Each well has the potential to produce 150 tons of cooling and 50 tons of heating, Facilities Dive reports. The system also offers a space-saving energy capture field that reduces environmental disruption, aligning with modern sustainability goals. The system also has more than 50 water-source heat pumps, plus a single-cell cooling tower for backup cooling and an electric boiler for backup heating. Since implementing the system, the district saved over $3 million on a $6.67 million HVAC investment, with returns as much of 50 percent.
The DCL system is expected to reduce the district’s carbon footprint by approximately 30 percent while providing more consistent and comfortable learning environments.
“Being among the first school districts in Illinois to have geothermal and the first in the United States to install the DCL technology is exactly what we want for our schools, students, and community,” said Dr. Monica Schroeder, Deputy Superintendent, North Shore School District 112. “This pioneering project serves as a model for other K-12 schools nationwide seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and lower operating costs. The project is a testament to how innovative technology can be leveraged to meet both educational and environmental objectives.”
Mackenna Moralez is the associate editor of the facilities market and the host of the Facilities in Focus podcast.
