This project transformed a 1972 heating system by replacing aging steam boilers with an electrified geothermal system, made possible through Inflation Reduction Act funding. The $4 million project upgraded the school’s outdated steam heating system to modern geothermal technology that uses the Earth’s constant underground temperature to efficiently heat and cool campus buildings. The result is a 50-year renewable energy system that dramatically reduces carbon emissions, lowers energy costs, and provides students with a “living lab” for hands-on technical education.

The geothermal project includes ten wells drilled 750 feet into bedrock, circulating water through a closed-loop system that maintains efficient heating and cooling year-round. The system can efficiently heat the building even on sub-zero days and provides cooling in the summer, all while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. In addition to reducing emissions, the geothermal system serves as an educational tool for students in Essex Tech’s HVAC and environmental programs. The former boiler room has been transformed into a “living lab,” a space where students in HVAC and environmental technology programs can study cutting-edge renewable systems firsthand.

The facility’s design, including color-coded pipe insulation and an interactive HVAC controls system, allows students to study renewable energy technology in real time, preparing them for careers in the growing clean energy sector.

“This project turns our mechanical room into a classroom,” said Assistant Superintendent and Principal Shannon Donnelly. “Our students will graduate not only understanding the technology but ready to build and maintain the sustainable systems of tomorrow.”