A new online resource enables Westchester County property owners to easily assess the feasibility of geothermal heating and cooling for any building or property in the County. Westchester GeoPossibilities, a free tool, provides information and assistance on energy efficiency and clean heating solutions that reduce carbon emissions.
Sustainable Westchester and the Westchester County Association, supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), will host a virtual event on July 22, at noon. The event will provide an opportunity for property owners to see a demonstration of the Westchester GeoPossibilities resource, learn about the many benefits of geothermal heating and cooling and explore the financial and environmental savings potential for their building(s).
Geothermal heating and cooling can replace existing HVAC systems in all buildings, GeoPossbilities said. Larger buildings and properties, including office complexes, medical facilities, academic campuses and housing developments, are particularly well suited to benefit. A geothermal system draws on the thermal energy naturally stored below ground to provide highly efficient heating and cooling. The thermal energy is exchanged with a fluid circulating through a series of underground pipes and then passes through a heat pump to provide heated or cooled air to the building. In winter, the heat pump extracts heat from the subsurface to warm the building, while in summer the heat pump cools the building by moving heat from the building into the ground.
“In order to protect our planet for generations to come, it will take innovative solutions across a broad spectrum of industries. With the launch of the GeoPossibilities Tool, building developers and homeowners will have easier access to the information they need to create clean heating and cooling systems without detrimentally impacting this economic driver,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer. “These cleaner systems will generate greener communities with an energy cost savings, benefiting all both now and in the future.”
Westchester GeoPossibilities has been supported by NYSERDA and helps advance New York State’s nation-leading climate and clean energy goals under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act). The consulting engineering firm Goldman Copeland, which created a Geothermal Screening Tool for New York City, has collaborated with Stone Environmental, Over Morgen and Flux Tailor in developing the resource.
