Sustainability · November 18, 2025
North Campus Housing Will Be Heated and Cooled by a Geothermal Field
A borefield under the North Campus recreation lawn will replace gas boilers for four residence halls, cutting the university’s building emissions by an estimated nine percent.
Construction has begun on a geothermal borefield beneath the North Campus recreation lawn that will provide heating and cooling for four residence halls now served by natural-gas boilers. The project is the largest single step in the university’s plan to reach carbon-neutral operations by 2045.
The system uses roughly 180 boreholes drilled to about 500 feet, connected to heat pumps in each building. The recreation lawn is restored and reopens once drilling finishes; a small display near the field will show real-time energy data.
The university estimates the switch cuts campus building emissions by about nine percent and pays back its incremental cost in roughly twelve years through avoided fuel and lower maintenance. Funding combines a state efficiency grant, a federal clean-energy rebate, and the campus green revolving fund.
“The engineering is proven. The hard part was scheduling drilling around move-in and finals. Students living above it will mostly notice that their rooms hold temperature better.”
— director of facilities planning
Contact: Office of University Communications, news@uwporterfalls.edu
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