UMF geothermal project gets approvalMar 12 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Ann Bryant Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine
A geothermal well project to save energy at the University of Maine at Farmington received unanimous approval Monday from the Planning Board. The board considered soil erosion control and storm water management applications for drilling 80 wells approximately 600 feet deep and trench excavation underground pipe installation. The wells include a sealed loop of pipes that circulate heat-bearing water from the ground and back. A quad named Mantor Green between campus buildings on Main and High streets and north of South Street is the site for the wells. The work is expected to start on the day May 19, the day after graduation, and be completed by, the day before classes open, Ben Pratt, director of facilities management, told the board. Laurie Gardner, executive director for finance and administration, was also present to answer questions. "It's an aggressive schedule," Pratt said. It could be shorter if all goes well and there isn't a lot of rain, he said. During construction, South Street may, at times, be closed to traffic. "For safety sake, the road will be shut down when the big trucks are moving," he said. The work scheduled is 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week. Monday hours extend to 8 p.m. "This is the fourth drilling process at UMF," board member and UMF geology professor Thomas Eastler said. "I approve of the geology/layout of the plan." The project estimates savings of up to 28,000 gallons of fuel for Preble, Thomas and Ricker Halls, Pratt said, of the first buildings added to the system. The addition of Mantor Library, the computer center across South Street and three buildings on Main Street to the system amounts to an estimated savings of 70,000 gallons of fuel annually, he said. Geothermal heating and cooling systems are in use at the Education Center, where 42 geothermal wells take advantage of the steady temperature underground to warm and cool air for the building. University trustees approved spending up to $1.55 million for the project and expect energy savings will for it within eight to 10 years, according to a recent report by the Kennebec Journal. When board member Lloyd Smith questioned fixing any damage to town roads, Pratt assured the board money was included for that. Trucks are expected to travel High Street entering the site between Mantor Library and Preble Hall. Before completion, contractor Carpenter Associates of Old Town will examine the roads with the town manager, public works director and paver Bruce Hazard. abryant@sunjournal.com http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=27892864 |