Geothermal ground source energy is a crucial component of the nation’s renewable energy resources, and Goldman Copeland has been playing a pioneering role in creating geothermal screening tools. In 2018, we created for the City of New York an online Geothermal Screening Tool that was the first of its kind. In 2021, we helped create the first replication of the New York City tool for Westchester County. That version – called Westchester GeoPossibilities – also has national implications, because it demonstrates that the original screening tool can be adapted for a suburban county, creating a new model that is more broadly applicable across the nation.
Ground source energy is thermal energy stored in the subsurface ground. It can be accessed from larger lot areas, of which most cities and counties have many, to provide efficient heating and cooling for nearby buildings. In individual settings, ground source heat pump systems work as follows: a series of pipes called a heat exchanger is buried in shallow or deeper ground near a building; the pipes circulate fluid to the building’s heat pump system, which provides heated or cooled air for the building. In winter, the heat pump extracts heat from the subsurface. In summer, the reverse occurs: the heat pump moves heat from the building back into the ground.
To make it easy for property owners in New York City to assess – in a free and user-friendly way – the feasibility of ground source heating and cooling, the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and the Department of Design and Construction commissioned Goldman Copeland to create an online screening tool that would enable users to simply assess the feasibility of ground source heating and cooling for every lot in all five boroughs – almost 900,000 lots. The tool has since been honored by the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York and has now been adapted for use in Westchester County.
Launched in July 2021 by Westchester County Executive George Latimer with support from Sustainable Westchester and the Westchester County Association, the Westchester model was funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Goldman Copeland, with its expertise from the New York City model, was integrally involved in its creation.
Geothermal ground source energy provides a major environmental opportunity for the nation. With Goldman Copeland’s help, New York City and Westchester County are pointing the way.
