O&G is making significant headway on a project aimed at bringing sustainable geothermal technology to the University of Connecticut. As part of the Campus Masterplan, the South Campus Infrastructure Project includes clean, renewable infrastructure that will extend deep underground to heat and cool the new 650-bed-suite-style South Campus Residence Hall & Dining Hall, and the new School of Nursing.
The geothermal system being implemented is known as a ground loop heat exchanger, which functions similarly to air source heat pumps commonly found in residential settings but offers greater efficiency. A ground loop heat exchanger takes advantage of the natural geothermal gradient of the earth, where temperatures become more stable the deeper you go. Subsurface temperatures are generally cooler than the surface in summer and warmer in winter, allowing the system to exchange heat efficiently. Additionally, heat exhausted during the summer can be stored underground and retrieved in the winter.
The system design includes the installation of 80 wells drilled to a depth of 800 feet deep into the bedrock located under the S Lot parking area on the south side of campus. The wells were completed in September and will be tied into the chiller plant this season while it undergoes an expansion to accommodate the new sustainable infrastructure. The area was returned to parking once the wells were completed.
The existing South Campus chiller plant, constructed in the 1990s, has primarily served the residence halls for cooling during warmer months. The expansion doubles the plant’s size, transforming it into a year-round facility by incorporating heating capabilities via ground loop heat exchange from the new wells. It provides the capacity for additional equipment to support future developments or connect existing buildings within the South Campus district. This project also features upgraded and new equipment, including a backup generator set to be installed in May 2025. The remaining electrical components are expected to arrive by the end of this year, with the entire project slated for completion in early 2026.
PROJECT TEAM: Mike Daley, Senior Project Manager; Nick Pedrolini, Project Manager; Mike Kensa, Assistant Project Manager; Scott Macey, Superintendent; Steven Law, Project Engineer; Ben Tapley, Project Engineer; Robert Almeda, MEP Coordinator; Quintin Kimmel, Safety Manager; Mark Sedensky, Preconstruction Manager.
