Arcadia University Begins
Drilling on 42 Geothermal Wells
Glenside,
Pa.—Tuesday, April 5, 2011–Drilling began Tuesday, April 5, on 42 geothermal
wells that will use the sustainable energy source to heat and cool the new
University Commons now under construction. The wells will cover about
two-thirds of the field area in front of the new student center.
The
work is expected to take several weeks. Several drilling rigs will be working
simultaneously, drilling each well 396 feet in depth.
Updating
the age-old practice of harnessing natural and renewable energy, the geothermal
units will use the earth’s steady underground temperature to provide
low-emission, energy-efficient temperature control for the new facility.
Designed
to increase efficiency, the heating, ventilation and air conditioning structure
features an energy recovery system that captures and recycles energy. This
passive system is used in the conjunction with fan coils, allowing users to
control the desired temperature while minimizing the University’s energy usage.
“Our
use of the earth’s energy for our own purposes goes back for centuries in
places with natural hot springs, like Bath in England,” says Dr. Brie Paddock,
Adjunct Professor of Biology. Paddock covers the topic of geothermal energy in
her ID101 course, Science in Civilization.
“The
relatively new geothermal wells take this a step further by drilling pipes into
the earth to access that heat energy in the absence of natural hot springs.
Heat energy is transferred to the water in the pipes, which is returned to the
surface and used to generate electricity for people to use. It’s a method of
generating electricity that doesn’t generate the pollutants associated with
more traditional energy sources,” she adds.
Many
spaces of the new student center, designed by Kliment Halsband Architects
(N.Y.), feature natural light to reduce electricity costs and the strain on the
environment, effectively reducing the University’s carbon footprint. Even the
carpets and concrete building mixtures will include pre-consumer recycled
content.
About
Arcadia University:
Arcadia University is a top-ranked private university in metropolitan
Philadelphia and a national leader in study abroad, ranked #1 in undergraduate
participation in study abroad (Open Doors 2010). Arcadia University
promises a distinctively global, integrative and personal learning experience
that prepares students to contribute and prosper in a diverse and dynamic
world. U.S. News & World Report ranks Arcadia University among the
top regional universities in the North, as one of the top study abroad
programs in the nation, and as a “top up-and-coming school.” The Physical
Therapy program is ranked 7th in the nation.
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