Ball State has won state and national awards for its use of GHP to heat and cool more than 40 buildings in this $65 million to $70 million project. The funding is from state construction bonds and a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

“We are very pleased to be part of this historic project that will showcase the value of using geothermal heat pump systems to heat and cool a large part of the campus,” said Mark Mizrahi, president and CEO of Enlink. “This project is putting people to work, saving energy, and setting a new standard for district heating and cooling. This will be a great model for public and private sector building designers and managers who want to have the most efficient HVAC systems possible.”

Officials estimate the project will save $2 million annually in energy costs and cut greenhouse gas emissions by half. Four on-campus coal-fired power plants will be shut down.

GHP uses the constant temperature of the earth hundreds of feet below the surface as a heat sink to absorb heat in cooling mode and as a heat source in heating mode. EnLink designs and constructs earth heat exchange systems, the key underground component of a GHP system. GHP is said to reduce energy use by as much as 70 percent.

The Ball State system includes nearly 4,000 bore holes drilled to about 500 feet, connected by miles of hot and cold water pipes connected to two central plants with high-efficiency heat pumps. From there, hot and cold water will be distributed to buildings around the campus.

EnLink is drilling 675 of the boreholes beginning in November and should complete work by August 2012.

For more information, visit www.enlinkgeoenergy.com.

Publication date: 11/14/2011