Geothermal energy supports Greene classrooms
To the editor,
The amount of money in a school district’s general fund is set by the state each year, and it can only be used to support costs associated with utilities, curriculum, and staffing. Bonds like the one that will be decided during the Sept. 13 vote cannot be used for general fund expenses.
A school bond only allows for construction, renovation, and capital improvements, which may include the installation of a geothermal system. The proposed plan includes such a system and will lower utility bills, providing a savings to the general fund. This savings can then be used for a combination of additional teachers, higher teacher salaries, and improved curriculum materials.
Geothermal heating and cooling systems are a proven technology frequently used in schools. The technology is inherently green: it replaces fossil fuels and instead uses the earth’s consistent ground temperatures as a source for heating and cooling. This renewable source of energy has been utilized for decades across Iowa and has become an economically viable approach to heating and cooling. It is considered one of the most cost effective forms of reducing our environmental impact associated with heating and cooling systems.
The upfront cost of a geothermal system buys an extremely efficient heating and cooling that produces significant reductions in utility bills, regularly cutting costs associated with heating, cooling, ventilating, and water heating to less than half of what they would be otherwise.
The upfront cost of a geothermal system also represents an investment in geothermal wells. The wells will have a lifetime that will far outlast any standard HVAC equipment, meaning they can be reused the next time HVAC equipment needs to be updated.
With geothermal heating and cooling, the energy used to run the systems – for the pumps, fans, etc. – is in the form of electricity (rather than natural gas or propane). An all-electric HVAC system also pairs up very well if solar panels would ever be installed, which could then produce electricity that would further reduce utility bills – very similar to what was done at the Grand Junction Community Center.
By including a geothermal system in the bond issue, the community will be investing in technology that is environmentally responsible, provides effective learning environments, and opens up funds to be used for staff and curriculum expenses. Please make sure you make time to vote on Sept. 13, and I hope you also will agree that this bond is an excellent investment in our community’s future!
Mark Vander Linden, Jefferson
