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Sustainable Solutions for Historic Buildings: Geothermal Heat Pumps in Heritage Preservation

Author(s): Thomas Perry and Carl A. Jay


Source: APT Bulletin, Vol. 40, No. 2 (2009), pp. 21-28
Published by: Association for Preservation Technology International (APT)Association for Preservation
Technology International (APT)
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Sustainable Solutions for Historic Buildings:
Geothermal Heat Pumps in Heritage Preservation

THOMAS PERRY AND CARL A. JAY

Ground-source heat pumps can be a Introduction systemshave had on the structureand


good HVACrenovation option for the environment.
It has been well establishedthat the
historic properties wishing not only built environmenthas had a profound
The Environment and Energy
to preserve aesthetic features but impact on our naturalenvironment,
also to use green building systems. economy, health, and productivity.With Efficiency
this in mind, owners of historicproper- The most recentreportby the United
ties across the country are implementing Nations-sponsoredIntergovernmental
green buildingtechniquesduringfacility Panelon ClimateChange,issuedin
renovationsin order to foster more effi- 2007, concludedthat without a dra-
cient energyuse and reduceimpact on matic reductionin human-inducedCO2
the environment.While geothermal emissions,climatechange may bring
heat-pumptechnology has been around "abruptor irreversible"effects on air,
for decades,owners are now beginning oceans, glaciers,land, coastlines,and
to seriouslyexplore and embracethis both plant and animalspecies.1Today,
high-efficiencyheatingand cooling sys- the U.S. is second only to China in CO2
tem as a way not only to limit environ- emissions.Alternativeenergysources
mental impact but also to save money (solar,wind, biofuels)and high-effi-
by cutting operationaland maintenance ciency heatingand cooling systemsare
costs. key elementsto emissions-reduction
Geothermalheat pumps (GHPs),also plans. In 1993 a landmarktechnical
known as ground-sourceheat pumps, reportby the U.S. EnvironmentalPro-
are often good options for integration tection Agency (EPA)on residential
into historicbuildingsthat were not space conditioningfound that GHPs are
built with today'selectromechanical the most energy-efficient,environmen-
supportsystemsin mind. Also beneficial tally clean, and cost-effectivespace-
is the fact that GHPs do not impactthe conditioningsystem available.2In the
landmarkstructurenegativelyeitheron same reportthe EPAalso found that
the exterioror in the interior.While the GHP systemshave the lowest impacton
systemis basedon the concept of indus- the environment.Both the U.S. Depart-
try-provenheat-pumptechnology,GHPs ment of Energyand the EPAhave en-
requirecarefulplanningfrom experi- dorsed GHPs, since they use 25 to 50
enced constructionand engineering percentless electricitythan conven-
professionals,as well as long-termcost- tional heatingor cooling systems.3
versus-benefitanalysis,beforeproject While a higherinitial investmentis
commencement.The drillingand instal- typicallyrequired,the investmentis
lation of these wells add initialcost to a paid back throughlower energybills
project,but energysavingsdue to sys- and decreasedmaintenancecost. Their
tem efficiencywill typicallypay back the efficiency,combinedwith unobtrusive
investmentwithin five to twelve years. below-groundinstallation,make geo-
This articlewill explain the installa- thermalwell systemsideal candidates
tion of GHP systemsin the renovation for historic-preservationprojects.
of two significanthistoricinstitutions:
TrinityChurchin the City of Boston and Geothermal Heat Pumps Defined
ByerlyHall at HarvardUniversity.It will
also explore the lessons learnedin each There are severalbasic types of GHP
Fig. 1 . Section of a standing-column well. of these projectsand the impactthese systems, all of which can be categorized
Images by the authors, unless otherwise noted.

21
22 APT BULLETIN:JOURNAL OF PRESERVATIONTECHNOLOGY/ 40:2, 2009

Fig. 2. TrinityChurchin the Cityof Boston, 2005. Fig. 3. Section of TrinityChurch,showing proposed cooling-tower locations
(in gray). Courtesy of TrinityChurchin the Cityof Boston.

as either open-loop or closed-loop sys- of 1,500 feet below the earth'ssurface, qualifiedcontractorsto pick from may
tems. An open-loop GHP will pump and multiplewells are typicallyspaced be limited.Also, once operational,some
groundwaterfrom an artesian-typewell 50 to 75 feet apart.The performanceof SCWshave water-qualityissuesand
and circulateit directlythroughthe heat a SCWdependson well depth, rock high sedimentlevelsthat may resultin
pump. The closed-loop systemsconsist thermal/hydraulic conductivity,and additionalmaintenancecost such as
of a sealed undergroundpiping loop bleed rate, if utilized.A bleed system frequentfiltercleaning.
containingwater or a glycol mixture directsreturnwater away from the well, The structureof a SCWbeginswith
that does not come in contact with which is designedto allow freshground- drillinga 12-inch bore hole throughthe
groundwater.Closed-loop GHPs can water to enterthe well and bringwell- soils above bedrock,known as overbur-
have piping configuredvertically,hori- water temperaturesback into a normal den, to accommodatethe installationof
zontally,or in a closed coil in a lake or operatingrange.Typically,SCWspro- an 8-inch-diameter,72-inch-thicksteel
pond. Differentsystemsare better vide 60 to 75 feet per ton of heat-pump casing that is driven40 feet into solid
suited to differentclimatesand applica- capacity.Therefore,a 1,500 foot well bedrockand sealed (Fig. 1). Once the
tions, and choosing the right system is should provide20 to 25 tons of heat- steel casing is installedand groutedin
vital for achievingthe most favorable pump capacitywithout bleed. Local place, a 6-inch bore hole is drilledto
life-cyclecost (LCC).This articlefo- regulationsmay not allow bleed;how- approximately1,500 feet. Once the hole
cuses on standing-columnwells (SCWs), ever,if utilizedit can improveheating is drilled,multiplesectionsof 40-foot-
which are considereda hybridof an and cooling capacity. long PVCtubingare securedtogetherto
open- and a closed-loop system. Most historicbuildingsare located in form a 1,500 foot inductiontube that
With a SCW,water is taken from the dense urbanareaswith little or no sur- will act like a straw,drawingwater up
bottom and returnedto the1top, result- roundingopen land. SCWsare fre- from the bottom of the well through
ing in a verticalflow of water and heat quentlya logical choice for such sites evenly spacedperforationsthat are 1-
exchange.Locatednear the building,the becauseheat transferoccursalong the inch in diameterand located in the bot-
wells are drilledin bedrock,creatinga 1,500-foot-deepverticalbore hole. By tom 40-foot section of tubing.At the
column of water from groundwaterlevel comparison,closed-loop bores are 350 top of the well casing, two pitlessad-
to the bottom of the bore. Using the feet deep with closed piping loops aptersare installedon the insideof the
earthas a heat sourceor heat sink, a groutedin place and typicallyprovide steel casing approximately4 to 5 feet
submersiblepump in each SCWdraws 1.5 to 2.0 tons of heat-pumpcapacity. below grade.The pitlessadaptersallow
water from the bottom of the well and Dependingon the requiredsystemca- for ease of setup and removalof the
deliversit to the buildingheat pump via pacity,a closed-loop bore field may returndrop pipe and submersiblewell
an undergroundpiping loop. This pro- requiresubstantialopen space due to the pump on the insideof the casing.The
cess of extractingwater from the bottom numberof holes and separationbetween submersiblepump is stainlesssteel and
of the well and returningit to the top bore holes, makingSCWsa superior is sedimentresistant.
maximizesheat transferas the water choice on a small site. However,not all
travelsthe lengthof the well column. well drillerswill have experiencedrilling
The wells are typicallydrilledto a depth to the depth of a SCW,so the numberof
GEOTHERMALHEAT PUMPS IN HERITAGEPRESERVATION 23

Fig. 4. Site plan showing the location of geothermal wells at TrinityChurch. Fig. 5. Byerly Hall,RadcliffeInstitutefor Advanced Study, HarvardUniver-
Courtesy of TrinityChurchin the City of Boston. sity, November 2006.

Life-Cycle Cost of a GHP System gional electriccost and the availability


energyconsumptionfor each of the of gas, oil, and other fuels. In the heat-
The National Instituteof Standardsand
systemscan be performedusing the ing mode it is especiallyimportantto
Technologyhandbook defineslife-cycle computedbuildingloads. In orderto evaluateGHP electriccosts versustradi-
cost as "the total discounteddollar cost
comparealternateHVACsystems,a net tional fuel costs. GHP systemsinstalled
of owning, operating,maintaining,and
presentvalue (NPV) for the expectedlife in regionswith low electricitycosts may
disposingof a buildingor a building of the systemcan then be computedfor comparemore favorablyto traditional
system"over the life of the buildingor each system.The NPV of life-cyclecost systemsduringthe heatingseason. In the
system.4Design professionalsand build- includesinitialcapital,annualenergy, cooling mode GHPsare generallymore
ing owners apply the principlesof life- regularmaintenance,and equipment- efficientthan conventionalelectrically
cycle cost analysisduringthe design replacementcosts, which are compared drivencooling plants. For examplethe
processas an effectivetool in making along with certaineconomic assump-
decisionsregardingconstructionand energyconsumptionfor GHP including
tions, such as energyand maintenance- pumpingenergymay be approximately
selection of systemsfor projects.Life- cost escalationand projectlife. Using 0.65 KW/tonof refrigeration,while the
cycle cost analysiscan also be used to this data, the best systemfor the project
evaluatean entire buildingor a specific systemenergyconsumptionfor an air-
can be chosen. cooled centrifugalchillerand water-
buildingsystem or component. It must Eventhough the initialcost of in- cooled centrifugalchillermay be ap-
include initial expenses, futureex-
stallinga GHP is more than conven- proximately1.2 KW/tonand 0.78
penses, and maintenanceand repair tional systems,the additionalcost is
costs.5 KW/ton,respectively.Therefore,build-
usuallyrecoveredwithin five to twelve ings requiringmanycooling hoursmay
The initial investmentfor a GHP
yearsdue to savingsin operatingand benefitfrom greateroperating-cost
systemshould be budgetedand com- maintenancecosts over other types of savingswith a GHP system.
paredwith other HVACsystemcosts. HVACsystems,such as air-or water- When calculatinglife-cyclecost for
The constructionmanagershould con- cooled chillerswith hot-waterboilers.In
siderall the costs associatedwith the GHPs,actualelectriccost from regional
addition,on an annual-costbasis, the historicaldata must be obtainedto
installationof each of the systemsto be combinedlabor and materialcost for providemeaningfulsystemcomparison.
compared,taking into account site repair,service,and correctiveaction are Additionally,accurateand realisticheat-
work, water mitigation,permitting, typicallylower for GHP systemsthan pumpcoefficientsof performanceand
schedule,structuralsupports,and other for conventionalsystems.A reporton seasonalenergy-efficiencyratiosmust be
work items, as well as constructability GHPs for the LincolnPublicSchools in used. The averagewell-watertempera-
issues. Once the initialconstructioncost Nebraskareportedan averagetotal cost ture in closed-loopsystemsand SCWs
of the GHP is determined,a life-cycle of 2.13 cents/ft2per year,comparedto will vary seasonally,thus coefficientsof
cost analysisfor variousheating,venti- an air-cooledchillerwith a gas hot- performanceand seasonalenergy-effi-
lating,and air-conditioningsystems water boiler at 2.884 cents/ft2per year,
should be performed.The projectengi- ciency ratios should not be selectedat
and water-cooledchillerwith a gas hot- optimalwater temperature.Completing
neercan estimatethe heatingand cool- water boiler at 6.07 cents/ft2per year.6 the life-cyclecost analysisat optimum
ing loads using buildingenergy-simula- The annual heatingand cooling conditionswill resultin incorrectcalcu-
tion softwareto determinethe annual hours of the proposedinstallationmust lations.
energydemandfor the building.Then, also be calculated,since comparisons In addition,one must also consider
simulatedannualperformanceand will vary greatlydependingon the re- grants,rebates,and tax creditsthat can
24 APT BULLETIN:JOURNAL OF PRESERVATIONTECHNOLOGY/ 40:2, 2009

operationaland maintenancecost sav- structurewas a challenge,architectH.


ings. But maintainingthe historic feel H. Richardsondaredto build a massive
and fabricof a structureis always a 9,500-ton church,supportedon four
primaryfocus, and conventionalheat- elephantinegranitepyramids,each of
ing and cooling systemscan be aestheti- which sits atop 400 wooden piles. Trin-
cally objectionableor physicallyimpos- ity Churchsoon becamethe centerof
sible to install in structuresbuilt prior the burgeoningcommunity,and its de-
to the advent of electricityand air- sign is now consideredthe inceptionof
conditioning. Richardson'scelebratedRomanesque
Air-sourceheatingand cooling sys- Revivalstyle (Fig. 2).8 TodayTrinity
tems requireshaft and ceiling space that Churchis a National Historic Land-
is commonlynot availablein historic markand one of the country'sfinest
buildings.Therefore,designersmust opt buildings.
for HVACsystemsthat are more adapt- When churchleadersbeganplanning
able to old buildings,such as hydronic for a multi-yearrestoration,renovation,
heatingand cooling systems.These types and expansionprogramin 2005, they
of systemsrequiremuch less area to had four specificgoals in mind:
deliverthe heatingand cooling medium • restoreTrinityChurchto its original
to the space. Air handlers,fan coils, or beauty
heat pumpscan be installedwithin the • expand the churchfor the benefitof
area being servedand connectedto the futuregenerations
pipingdistributionsystem.However, • updatethe structurewith twenty-
buildingswith vent shaftsthat may have
been used originallyfor naturalventila- first-centurynecessitiesand innova-
tion can sometimesaccommodatethe tions
largeductworknecessaryfor air-source • keep the churchopen duringcon-
heatingand cooling systems. struction
In addition,exteriorHVACequip- Some 125 yearsof use had left the stone
ment is visuallyintrusiveand an unac- facade and the interiorartwork,includ-
ceptableoption for preservationists. ing muralsand stainedglass, in need of
Fig. 6. Section of the standing-columnwell Therefore,the projectteam must work restoration,and some of the wood pil-
showing water removal duringthe drilling togetherto find alternativesystemsthat ings, integralto the church'sstructural
process. High-pressureair is pumped down maintainthe historicintegrityof the integrity,were also in need of repairdue
throughthe drillrods, forcing the water and drill building.GHPs have minimalarchitec- to fluctuatingwater tables. In orderto
spoils to the surface, which are then removed tural impactbecausethe heartof the undertakesuch a complex restoration
at grade level.
system is located below groundand and expansion located on one of the
there is no on-site combustion. city's dense urbansites, the unusualstep
offset the initialinstallationcost of GHP of beginningprojectpre-construction
systemsand significantlyaffect the life- Case Studies two years priorto groundbreakingwas
cycle cost analysis.Federalgrantsare taken. Workingin this constricted
availablefor GHP installationsthrough In New England,an area rich with urbanspace was made possible through
the U.S. FederalRenewableEnergyTax historicallysignificantbuildings,GHPs intricatescheduleplanningand coordi-
Creditand from the Canadiangovern- are particularlywell-suitedto retrofit nated deliveries,disposals,and drilling
ment'sEcoEnergyfor RenewablePower projects.Two notable institutionsin to ease the impacton the neighborhood.
program.Additionalrebatesand grants Massachusettshave recentlyinstalled Interiorwork was plannedto allow the
vary by state. GHPs:TrinityChurchin the City of churchto remainopen.
Boston, located in the middle of Copley DeterminingsuitableHVACoptions
The Aesthetic Advantage of GHP Use Squarein Boston, and ByerlyHall at the for TrinityChurchwas a considerable
for Historic Renovations RadcliffeInstitutefor AdvancedStudy
challengefor the engineeringand design
at HarvardUniversityin Cambridge. team. Aftera comprehensivestudy of
Installinghigh-performancesystems in These two institutionshave separate, the buildingand grounds,proposed
historicbuildingscan pose a varietyof but similar,needs and site constraints. locations for a chilled-waterplant were
challengesfor the design and construc- sited on designdrawingsand presented
tion team. With the risingcost of en- Trinity Church in the City of Boston. In
1873 the Boston population, spreading to the projectteam for evaluation(Fig.
ergy,many owners of historicbuildings
are increasinglymotivatedto replace into what is now known as the Back 3). Exteriorcooling towers or air-cooled
chillersinstalledon the roofs and within
antiquatedmechanical,electrical,and Bay,was forced to stabilizethe in-filled
plumbingsystemswith high-perfor- ground and build on top of wooden spiresof the churchwere not acceptable
from a historicor aestheticpoint of
mance upgradesthat will resultin piles to avoid sinking into the marshy
wetland.7In a place where buildingany view. The only location wherethis large
GEOTHERMALHEAT PUMPS IN HERITAGEPRESERVATION 25

equipmentcould be installedwas above after WilliamElwood Byerly,a former


the sanctuary,insidethe space between professorof mathematicsat Harvard
the vaultedsanctuaryceiling and the and an early supporterof the college, it
roof spire.Althoughthe proposedloca- was one of the last buildingsto enclose
tions for the conventionalequipment RadcliffeYardin the westernquadrant
were less than ideal, the projectteam of the Harvardcampus (Fig. 5).14
still providedcost estimatesfor three In 2007 the RadcliffeInstitutefor
types of HVACsystems,includinga AdvancedStudyat HarvardUniversity
GHP systemthat would provideboth commissioneda team to rehabilitatethe
heatingand cooling. historicneo-Georgianfacadeof Byerly
Once the initialconstructioncost was Hall, renovatethe interiorto meet
determined,a life-cyclecost analysiswas twenty-first-century needs, and install
also performed.The resultsshowed a five SCWsin RadcliffeYardto provide
10% cost savingsover the 20-year life- heatingand cooling for the classroom
span of a GHP systemcomparedto the building,which would now house the
other conventionalHVACsystems.9In RadcliffeFellowshipProgram.The rec-
additionto cost, other key considera- tangularwings of the buildingcontain
tions contributedto the final decisionto officesand studios for the fellows and
use the GHP system,includingaesthet- fellowshipadministration,with social
ics, equipmentvibrationand noise, and and communityspacesat the connector
the risk factorsassociatedwith installing on each floor to help foster interac-
water pipingabove the main sanctuary tions.15
ceiling,which could potentiallythreaten HarvardUniversity'scommitmentto
interiorfinishes. reducingits carbon footprinthas engen- Fig. 7. Section showing excess water volume at
GHPswere chosen to provideheating dereda campus-widefocus on promot- well 5 at Byerly Hall.The image on the left
shows the drillingprocess proceeding as
and cooling for the new and renovated ing sustainabilityin all areasof univer- planned to the point of contact with the large
spaces.Six self-containedwells were sity operations.In the case of Byerly fissure. The image on the rightshows the
drilledaroundthe church,through Hall, it was determinedthat in orderto slowing of the drillingprocess, due to an exces-
layersof soil and bedrock,down 1,500 meet the university'sgoals for sustain- sive volume of water coming from the fissure.
feet - nearlytwice the heightof the ability,the buildingwould use geother-
adjacent60-storyJohn HancockTower, mal-welltechnologyfor its heatingand specifyingsite activities,equipment,en-
the tallest buildingin Boston. Drilling cooling needs. The new GHP system vironmentalprotection,fencing,pedes-
1,500 foot-deepwells in the middleof requiredfive SCWs,each 1,500 feet triantraffic,etc. On many projectsdrill-
the city was no easy task. Workingjust deep, and a mechanicalroom built to ing is scheduledto take place before
eight feet from the church,construction house the heat pump. Once installed,the main constructionactivities,but it can
engineerswere able to completethe systemwas set up to ensureoptimized also be phasedto allow buildingaccess.
projectwithout damagingthe stone or energyperformanceas part of the pro- The latterwas the case for Trinity
foundation(Fig.4). ject'sLEEDgoals. Church,where churchservicesand
meetingscould not be disruptedbecause
Byerly Hall at Harvard University. Rad- of drillingnoise or vibrations.
cliffe College (now part of Harvard Site Activities during Well Drilling and
Installation Locatedin an academicand residen-
University)was founded in 1879 as the tial area, ByerlyHall'stight site was a
Societyfor the CollegiateInstructionof The drillingoperation for GHPs can at
challengefor projectplanning.Because
Woman,to educatewomen with Har- times overtakea tight job site, since the the space requirementsfor a largedrill-
vard-qualityclasses.10As enrollment wells are typicallylocated along the
ing operationare considerable,work
grew, Radcliffebegan to buy and erect perimeterof the buildingand dewater- had to be completedon the wells and
buildingson AppianWay,on what ing equipmentneeds substantialarea
becameknown as RadcliffeYard.11In drillingequipmenthad to be moved out
for properfunctioning:a typical setup beforework could begin on the renova-
1893 Radcliffebecamea self-governing includesgenerators;discharge,or frac, tion of the structure.Two largedrillrigs
college underHarvardUniversity's tanks; and tubing. An area for tempo- were used duringthe drillingprocessin
stewardship.12In 1930 the General rarystorage of drill spoils and sediment orderto meet the projectschedule,which
EducationBoardawardedRadcliffe may be needed, so the spoils can dry was constrainedby neighborhoodordi-
College $500,000 for the construction out and be truckedoff-site later.In nancesallowingwork between7:00 a.m.
and equippingof laboratoriesfor the addition, this area must be surrounded and 7:00 p.m., complicatingthe already
physicalsciences.The new science by hay bales to preventunwantedwater tight schedule.
building,designedby Coolidge and runoff.
Carlsonof Boston, was begun in 1931 Duringthe pre-constructionand Water-removalprocess. Handling
and completedby the time the classes planningstage of a project,a detailed water and drill spoils at grade level can
startedin September1932. 13Named site-logisticsplan must be prepared, be one of the biggestchallengesand
26 APT BULLETIN:JOURNAL OF PRESERVATIONTECHNOLOGY/ 40:2, 2009

the drillingdebris into the open tank. determinedthat the machineryoperat-


Severaldischargetanks, or frac tanks, ing the drillsemitteddecibellevels
are equippedwith a seriesof bafflesthat equivalentto those of a bus accelerat-
allow the water and sedimentto sepa- ing, a familiarsound in that environ-
rate. At ByerlyHall two large side-by- ment. Nevertheless,noise-reducing
side frac tanks, 20,000 gallons each, wooden structureswere erected,and
were operatedin seriesdue to the large crews worked overtimeto completethe
quantitiesof water encounteredduring drillingas quicklyas possible. Giventhe
the drillingprocess.The final outlet on projectteam'sconcernswith disrupting
the last tank was then connectedto a the community,the bulk of the noise-
triple-filtrationstation comprisedof generatingactivitywas scheduledto
50-, 30-, and 10-micronreusablebag occur duringJanuaryand February,
cartridgefiltersand drainedinto a when there was the least amount of
nearbycatch basin. activityin the square,and beforethe
The MassachusettsWaterResource start of the Lentenseason, when the
Authorityrequiredthe ByerlyHall proj- church'sserviceswould be in highest
ect to test water leavingthe final filtra- demand.
tion station for turbiditybeforeit was
Fig. 8. Diagramshowing sediment productionin piped to the catch basin, since the dis- Concerns about Geothermal Well
the RadcliffeGymnasium SCWs (at left) during chargewater will eventuallyend up at Operation
Byerly Hallwell drilling(at right).As indicated by the authority'sDeer Islandsewage-
the arrows, water removed by the drillrig at treatmentplant located in Boston Har- With all mechanical,engineering,and
Byerly Hallupset groundwater characteristics at bor.For SCWsystems,federaland state plumbingsystems,carefulplanningand
the gymnasium. researchof variousoptions can help
regulationsinvolve permittingof water
withdrawaland responsiblereturnof determinewhethera systemis right for
largestcosts when drillinga SCW. the water to the earth. Other regulations a project.With GHPs it is equallyim-
Duringthe drillingprocess, air is portantto weigh the system'spros and
may apply to excessivewithdrawal,
pumpeddown the center of the drill returnto navigablestreamsor rivers, cons carefully.Duringpeak heat-rejec-
rods throughthe drill head at high tion or extractionperiods,the well-
and other activitiesthat may impactthe
pressureto blow the water and drilling water supplyor quality.It is recom- water temperaturecan rise too high or
spoils from the bore, therebyallowing mendedthat state and local agenciesbe fall too low, which can negativelyim-
the drill head to operateefficiently(Fig. pact heatingand cooling performance.
contactedearly in the design processto
6). The volume of water evacuatedfrom determinewhat permittingarrangements In these high-loadperiods,some SCW
the hole is a function of how much designs incorporatea bleed systemthat
must be made.
water the well can produce.The directsreturnwater out of the well in-
method for handlingthe water that is Undergroundpiping. Supply and re- stead of recirculatingthe water,a pro-
blown from the well can vary greatly turn high-densitypolyethylene(HDPE) cess that allows freshgroundwaterto
accordingto the job-siteconditions; piping was installedapproximately5 flow back into the well. This process
regulationsin urbanareas will require feet below grade to carrywater from cools down the well water in the sum-
more complex drill-watermanagement. the well to the heat pumps located in mer and warms it in the winter,thus
The ByerlyHall projectis an example the building.Pipe joints are butt or restoringthe water temperatureto a
of an urbansite requiringthe handling socket heat fused by a method approved normaloperatingrangeand improving
and filteringof large amounts of water, by the pipe manufacturerand the Inter- system performance.It is importantto
thus requiringa substantialamount of national GroundSourceHeat Pump note that state or local groundwater
equipmenton site, which includedtwo Association. Rigid insulationis installed regulationsmay prohibitbleeding.The
diesel truckswith drill rigs, hundredsof undergroundbetweenthe supply and projectsdescribedabove currently
feet of hoses, a 40-cubic-foot lined returnpiping to preventheat transfer. operatewithout bleed.
dumpsterfor heavy sediment,two In addition,industryexpertsreport
Noise mitigation.Projectdrill sites that
10,000-galloon water-holdingtanks for that the earthtemperaturearoundSCW
sedimentseparation,and a triple-filtra- are located near occupied buildingsmay
need to be evaluatedfor noise pollution systemsdoes fluctuateon a seasonal
tion station. basis, typicallywithin 40 to 50 feet from
from the drillingequipment.Duringthe
the boreholecolumn. Fieldtests per-
Drillingoperations onsite. Waterand ByerlyHall projecta 30-foot-high wall formedover the course of ten yearshave
spoils are collected at the top of the drill of sound blanketswas erectedto atten-
head and piped with hoses over to an uate the noise reachingthe nearby shown no annualchangein the mean
earthtemperaturein properlydesigned
open tank (typicallya dumpsterlined EducationDepartmentOffice. On the
SCWsystems.Properdesignmust recog-
with plastic). In order to managethe TrinityChurchprojectthere were initial nize geologic thermalcharacteristics,
high pressureof dischargedwater and concernsregardingvibrationand noise
relativeheatingand cooling loads, and
spoils, a collection device called a cy- in the midst of Copley Square.The
clone is used to control spray and direct team installedvibrationmonitors and adequatespacingof multipleSCWs.
GEOTHERMALHEAT PUMPS IN HERITAGEPRESERVATION 27

TypicallySCWsare spaced50 to 75 feet drillingoperations,the work was sched- consequentlycloggingthe systemand


apart,becausecloser spacingcan reduce uled to be completedpriorto the com- upsettingwater flow (Fig. 8). Eventually
well efficiencydue to thermalinterfer- mencementof school in early Septem- it was decidedto shut down the gymna-
ence. ber.The projectwas progressingas sium'sGHP systemuntil the drilling
scheduleduntil the last of the five wells processin the RadcliffeYardwas com-
Post-Construction Well Maintenance began producingwater at a volume that plete. Fortunately,the buildingwas only
stopped the drillingprocess.Duringthe lightlyoccupieddue to summervaca-
Sincethe only visible indicatorfrom drillingof the last well, water volumes tion, and temporarycooling for a small
groundlevel of the SCWis the manhole in excess of 350 gallons per minute serverroom was installedfor the interim
cover,buildingowners can inadver- exceededthe drillingmachinery'scapac- period.The exact fissureand aquifer
tently fall into the trap of a "out-of- ity to evacuatewater fast enough to formationsconnectingSCWsdeep
sight, out-of-mind"attitudewhen it continue drilling,and the well had to be below the surfaceare impossibleto
comes to well maintenance.However,it abandonedat a depth of 650 feet (Fig. predict,but futureprojectplanning
is recommendedthat the first inspection 7). should includethe close monitoringof
of the wells occur one year from initial At a project-teammeetingseveral all well types located in proximityto a
start-upand that a schedulefor subse- options were discussed,includingthe drillingoperation.
quent maintenanceinspectionsbe de- drillingof a new well. A new well was
cided upon by the well-servicecontrac- not a favorablechoice, due to the added The Future of Geothermal Wells for
tor and the buildingowner.A service cost to the projectand extendedsched- Historic Structures
contractshould includeremovaland ule to completethe work. The design
inspectionof well pumps;removal, team came up with an option to use well TrinityChurchand ByerlyHall both
inspection,and cleaningof the return five as a discharge/dispersion well: this provideevidencethat GHP systemsare
drop pipe;inspectionof well wiring for would be used duringadverseload often a good fit for historicpreservation
nicks and frays (doubledjacketedwire conditionswhen well-watertemperature projects,due to their high efficiencyand
is recommended);and testing of well in wells one throughfour dropped low aestheticimpact. For the two insti-
water every 18 months to 2 years. below 45°F in winter and rose above tutional owners, the conversionto a
Weeklyinspectionof the GHP system 85°Fin summer.Insteadof recirculating GHP heatingand cooling systemhas
should include,but not be limitedto, the water into these wells, water would been a positive one. TrinityChurch's
cleaningof the well-waterfilters;inspec- be divertedto well five, allowing local geothermalsystem has deliveredsignifi-
tion of well-pumpvariable-frequency cant benefitsdue to its economicaland
groundwaterto flow back into wells
drives,heat pumps,and associated one, two, threeor four,therebycooling nearlyinvisibleoperation.The GHP
circulationpumps;and readingsat or heatingthe well water to an accept- system at ByerlyHall has contributedto
gaugesand thermometers. able rangefor heat-pumpperformance. HarvardUniversity'senvironmental
SCWsystemsshould be maintained The buildinghas now completedone goals and the project'sLEEDcertifica-
in a sterilestate at all times. Any open full heating-and cooling-seasonwithout tion. GHP systemsare a viable alterna-
well system,whetherused as a heat tive to conventionalHVACsystemsand
havingto use well five.
pumpor only domesticuse, should be Anotherproblemwas encounteredat can be a good solution for both energy-
free of harmfulbacteriaand should be RadcliffeYardduringdrilling.The yard use concernsand historicpreservation
checkedperiodically.Iron bacterium, (approximately20,000 squarefeet of goals.
which is not harmfulto humans,causes greenspace and pathways)contained THOMAS PERRY,LEED AP, managing direc-
red-browndepositsin pipes that, if not variousutilities,such as steam-distribu- tor of Engineering Services Division at Shaw-
controlled,can eventuallylead to oc- tion pipes, high- and low-voltageelectri- mut Design and Construction, has more than
cludedpipes. Industrymanufacturers cal lines, and telephone/datalines, as 30 years of construction experience, including
claim that GHP heat exchangersare not well as two existinggeothermalwells 20 years of HVAC design experience. He holds
a BS in mechanical engineering from Northeast-
affectedduringair-conditioningperiods, servicingnearbyRadcliffeGymnasium, ern University. He can be reached at tperry®
as they are manufacturedof copper- which had to be located and coordi- shawmut.com.
nickelalloy.However,control of such nated with the new SCWlocations prior
bacteriais still recommended. to the arrivalof the constructionteam. CARL A. JAY,director of historic preservation
at Shawmut Design and Construction, has
Severalweeks into the drillingpro- worked on many prominent restoration pro-
Lessons Learned cess, it was determinedthat an addi- jects including African Meeting House in
tional drill rig was neededto meet the Boston, Touro Synagogue, and several build-
Sincegeothermalheatingand cooling is scheduledcompletiondate. The two ings at Harvard University. He has a degree in
a relativelynew technology,unexpected well rigs operatingsimultaneouslywere
wood science and technology from the Univer-
conditionsoften arise duringinstalla- sity of Massachusetts. He can be reached at
tion. Severalnotable challengesarose pumpinga high volume of water from caj@shawmut.com.
the groundbelow. Meanwhilethe facili-
on the ByerlyHall projectduringthe ties departmentin chargeof the Rad-
drillingprocess.The projectschedule cliffe Gymnasiumnotifiedthe construc-
Acknowledgements
was to drill five 1,500-foot-deepwells tion team that heavy sedimentwas The authors wish to recognizethe following
in two months. Due to the noise of found in the gym well-waterfilters, Shawmutemployees who have generouslyshared
28 APT BULLETIN: JOURNAL OF PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGY / 40:2, 2009

their time and experience:JenniferBentleyand 4. State of Alaska, Dept. of Education and 9. Shawmut Design and Construction, Life
LizJennings.The projectteams for both case Early Development, Life Cycle Cost Analysis Cycle Cost Analysis for Trinity Church, 2002.
studies includedShawmut Design and Construc- Handbook (Juneau:U.S. Government Printing
10. Crimson Key Society, Guidebook to Har-
tion as constructionmanager,Goody Clancy as Office, 1999), 2.
vard University (Cambridge:The Belknap Press
architect,and Cosentini Associates as mechani-
5. Ibid. of Harvard Univ., 1989), 19.
cal, electrical,and plumbingengineers.
6. Michaela A. Martin, David J. Durfee, and 11.Ibid.
PatrickJ. Hughes, "Comparing Maintenance
Notes Costs of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems with 12.Ibid,20.
1. IntergovernmentalPanel on Climate Change, Other HVAC Systems in Lincoln Public 13.Ibid,25.
Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report. Con- Schools: Repair, Service, and Corrective Ac-
tribution of Working Groups I, II and III to tions," prepared for the U.S. Department of 14. See www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2008/
the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergov- Energy,Oak Ridge National Laboratory,Oak 09.18/09-byerly.html.
ernmental Panel on Climate Change, ed. R. K Ridge, Tenn., Contract DE-AC05960R22464, 15. The work on the exterior of the building
Pachauri and A. Reisinger (Geneva, Switzer- and presented at the 1999 ASHRAE Annual
included the restoration of eight chimneys,
land: IPCC, 2007), 30. Meeting, Seattle, Washington:June 19-23,
1999. repointing of the exterior brick, replacementof
2. Environmental Protection Agency "Space the granite and all windows with new sashes
Conditioning: The Next Frontier,"EPA430-R- 7. Theodore E. Stebbins Jr., "Richardson and complete with historic glass, and repair of the
93-004, April 1993. Trinity Church: The Evolution of a Building," slate roofing over about half the building. The
Journal of the Society of Architectural Histori- new external features, such as the south exte-
3. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, ans 27 (1968): 281,283-284 . rior ramp with a glass railing, were designed to
report for the U.S. Department of Energy, have a minimal visual impact but were made
"Geothermal Heat Pumps," Energy Efficiency 8. Ann Jensen Adams, "The Birth of a Style:
distinguishable from the 1930s-era building
and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse, DOE/ Henry Hobson Richardson and the Competi- fabric. The project also included construction.
GO-10098-652, FS 105, September 1998. tion Drawings for Trinity Church, Boston,"
Available at http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/ The Art Bulletin 62 (Sept. 1980): 409.
fy98/24782.pdf.

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