A New Kind of Geothermal HVAC System for St. Paul Skilled Trades Center
The Local 455 has been building MEP systems for decades on decades, initially established in 1904. Their teams have served as the starting point for public and private construction projects using all kinds of technology. In late 2018 they began considering new technologies to retrofit their building in St. Paul, Minnesota. The primary objectives for Pipefitters focused on maximizing energy efficiency, eliminating rooftop units, and continuing to expand the industrial knowledge for training purposes. Embracing new technologies was important for the organization as it keeps their educational efforts up to date and provides important mechanical requirements for a novel system type like groundwater enabled geothermal with chilled beams.
Implementing the Darcy Solutions Groundwater Enabled Geothermal System
This first of a kind implementation includes three bedrock wells and one surficial. Darcy Solutions was selected because its unique groundwater geothermal technology offers exceptional energy efficiency within a compact footprint, making it ideal for limiting impact to the parking lot and allowing the roof to be cleared for a solar array. That approach expedited the timeframe for procurement, construction, and commissioning. Since installation the location has served as a hot spot for ongoing project visits and educational tours for local news and organizations interested in sustainable heating and cooling.