A new online resource enables Westchester County property owners to easily assess the feasibility of geothermal heating and cooling for any building or
property in the county. The free, user-friendly tool—“Westchester GeoPossibilities,” geopossibilities.ny.gov, provides information for this gas-constrained area by providing information and assistance on energy efficiency and clean heating solutions that reduce carbon emissions.
Sustainable Westchester and the Westchester County Association, supported by The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, NYSERDA,
will host a virtual event on Thursday, July 22 at noon. The event will provide an opportunity for property owners to see a demonstration of the Westchester
GeoPossibilities resource, learn about the many benefits of geothermal heating and cooling, and explore the financial and environmental savings potential for their building.
Geothermal heating and cooling can replace all existing HVAC systems in all buildings. Larger buildings and properties, including office complexes, medical facilities, academic campuses and housing developments are particularly well-suited to benefit. A geothermal system draws on the thermal energy naturally stored below ground to provide highly efficient heating and cooling.
The thermal energy is exchanged with a fluid circulating through a series of underground pipes and then passes through a heat pump to provide heated or cooled air to the building. In winter, the heat pump extracts heat from the subsurface to warm the building, while in summer the heat pump cools the building by moving heat from the building into the ground. “We are pleased to partner with NYSERDA and the WCA to bring this important tool to our municipalities, businesses, building owners and real estate developers in Westchester. The ability to quickly assess a site for geothermal feasibility is essential to adoption of this clean heating and cooling solution and to the transition to clean energy for our buildings,” said Nina Orville, executive director of Sustainable Westchester.
Westchester GeoPossibilities has been supported by NYSERDA and helps advance New York State’s nation-leading climate and clean energy goals under the
Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act). The consulting engineering firm Goldman Copeland, which created a Geothermal Screening Tool for New York City, has collaborated with Stone Environmental, Over Morgen and Flux Tailor in developing this resource.
To learn more about the Westchester GeoPossibilities tool attend the virtual event on July 22. To speak with experts from any of the organizations involved,
please contact Maria Genovesi, Director of Marketing, Communications & Outreach at Sustainable Westchester at maria@sustainablewestchester.org or 242-
4725 x104. (Submitted)
