Geothermal system considered for Highland Park police station
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City officials want to install what they describe as a novel geothermal system at the Zone 5 police station in Highland Park for cooling the two-story building.
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's office wants Pittsburgh City Council to give final approval today to a pair of agreements with Harmar-based Thar Geothermal, the company that developed the cooling system and already operates a smaller version of it at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve in Fox Chapel.
The agreements would allow the company to enter city property for engineering and construction purposes and signal to the state that it's OK to release grant money for the project.
The work would be financed with $250,000 in company funds and a $250,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, which says it provides money for "innovative, advanced energy projects." The project would be completed by summer.
Lindsay Baxter, the mayor's sustainability coordinator, and Eric Mellers, senior mechanical engineer with Thar Geothermal, said the company's cooling system was unique because it uses carbon dioxide rather than ozone-hazardous Freon as a cooling agent.
Last fall, the city installed a solar water-heating system at a North Side firehouse. Though it's still evaluating the effectiveness, the city said it would like to install five more of those systems this year at locations to be announced in future months.
In a statement, Mr. Ravenstahl said his administration was embracing green heating and cooling technology partly to set an example for consumers in the private sector.
"We are taking a very purposeful step in outfitting our city-owned facilities with clean energy technologies," he said. "It's not just about saving money or protecting our environment. We want to set the example for our residents and businesses that solar and geothermal energy can work and be practical right here in Pittsburgh."
Right now, some employees at the Zone 5 police station use window units to supplement a poorly performing central air-conditioning system, said Mr. Mellers of Thar Geothermal.
First Published April 27, 2010 12:00 am
