Schools Save By Going Geothermal

By Beth L. Jokinen, The Lima News, Ohio

Jun. 15–OTTOVILLE — When officials began talking about a new school for the district, they wanted to look at the future and the bottom line.

That led to a geothermal heating and cooling system, which has saved the district $100,000 a year since the building was completed in 2003.

“It is basically allowing us to keep our budget in check,” Superintendent Ken Amstutz said. “We would be in much worse (financial) shape, without a doubt.”

Ottoville school was the site of a Wednesday conference on geothermal heating and cooling, which uses thermal energy from the ground to heat and cool structures. About 200 school officials and architects from around the state attended the conference, sponsored by Ohio’s electric cooperatives.

The Ottoville building was the first constructed under the Ohio School Facilities Commission to use geothermal. Amstutz said the school’s utility costs have average 58 cents per square foot, compared to most schools that average between $1.50 and $1.75 per square foot. He said the difference between the cost to put in the geothermal system verses a traditional system was about $40,000.

“With the savings being $100,000, the payback time was six months,” he said.

To heat, geothermal systems collect the Earth’s natural heat in a series of pipes, called a loop. Fluid circulates within the loop and carries heat inside. Using compressors and heat exchangers, the geothermal system then distributes the air. To cool, the system pulls warm air out of a building and puts it in the ground. It is similar to a refrigerator, taking away heat from the interior rather than injecting cold air.

Jack DiEnna, Jr. of the Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium in Washington, D.C., said while geothermal has been around since the 1950s, it is becoming more prominent because of the rising cost of energy.

DiEnna said it is the most energy efficient, and cuts down on greenhouse omissions by 40 percent. It also benefits economic development. For every commercial project, 22 jobs are created.

DiEnna said more than 1 million units are installed nationally, representing less than 1 percent of all heating and cooling units in the country. He said more than 1,000 schools use geothermal technology.

Franklin Brown of the Ohio School Facilities Commission, said more schools are looking at geothermal. It has been an option for schools working with the commission since 1999. Brown said at least three schools are currently under construction going to the new system.

“Everybody wants to save taxpayers’ dollars,” he said. “So if we can find a way to operate schools more economically, it is a win-win. Every dollar that doesn’t have to go into the operations of a building, can go into staff and equipment and other things.”

Spencerville’s new school currently under construction will include a geothermal system. Superintendent Joel Hatfield said school officials felt that the savings in both operations and maintenance made it the best way to go.

“It is tremendous. It’s a couple of teachers,” he said of the savings. “Certainly it does allow us to do some other things. With funding issues today, every dollar saved is to the good.”

Hatfield expects that Spencerville will also save at least $100,000 a year.

“And the savings are only going to go up as natural gas prices rise,” he said. “I don’t think we are ever gong to see natural gas and petroleum prices much lower than what we have now.”

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Lima News, Ohio

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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