Published: May 15, 2008 11:13 pm      

St. Francis taps geothermal wells to cut costs for wellness institute

LORETTO — Construction of St. Francis University’s new DiSepio Institute for Rural Health and Wellness is clearly visible above ground.

But below ground, unseen by most, is the beginning of an environmentally friendly heating and cooling system for the institute – geothermal wells.

The system will save about 32 percent in energy costs for the new center, university officials say.

The wells are being drilled and will be used a natural source of heat in winter and cooling in summer.

That’s possible because the underground temperature of the earth remains relatively constant year-round, so the wells use the earth’s temperature for both heating and cooling as the seasons change.

“There will be 44 wells, each bored to a depth of 354 feet,” said Bernie Geishauser, the university’s physical plant director.

“Each well will then have a closed loop piping system placed in it. Water is then circulated through this piping to either heat or cool the building, depending on what the building needs at that time.”

Using the geothermal system, in comparison to a gas-fired heating system, will reduce carbon emission pollutants by 119,000 pounds per year, college officials say.