Earth's Core Keeping WSU Students Warm This Winter

Geothermal energy, a renewable energy source, is an affordable and environmental-friendly alternative to fuel that Washington State University is using to heat and cool a residence hall.

Geothermal energy comes from the earth’s core. Most high temperature geothermal heat is harvested in areas close to tectonic plate boundaries where volcanic activity rises close to the earth’s surface, however, even cold ground contains heat that can be extracted with a geothermal heat pump.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, geothermal heat pumps are the most energy efficient, cost effective and environmentally clean systems for temperature control.

Due to recent advances in heat pump performance, geothermal energy is a rapidly growing market. Because it uses the earth’s natural heat, it is one of the most efficient and comfortable heating and cooling technologies available.

WSU’s Olympia Avenue residence hall uses geothermal heating and cooling. Water pipes run under the residence hall into the adjacent play field that acts as the well field for geothermal heating and cooling. It provides water at a stable 50 degree temperature all year.

The pipes are filled with a glycol-water solution that remains the temperature of the earth it runs through. Then the solution brings that temperature back to the building to either heat it or cool it. In the summer the 50 degree water runs through the building to keep it cool and during the winter it goes through a heat exchanger to remove enough heat to keep the building warm. Instead of having to heat the water from 30 to 70 degrees, it only has to heat the water from 50 to 70 degrees.

Although most homes still use traditional furnaces and air conditioners, geothermal heat pumps are becoming more popular and should be strongly considered when building homes and businesses.

For more information and picutres of WSU's Olympia Avenue click here.