Over the past five years, VHB has collaborated with Dartmouth College on various campus projects, including a comprehensive geothermal energy initiative designed to align with the institution’s goal to eliminate campus emissions by 2050. This forward-thinking project involves eliminating the use of steam energy by creating 14,000 linear feet of new geothermal distribution lines.
VHB initiated this effort by conducting an extensive campus-wide geothermal scan to map subsurface features and infrastructure. This allowed us to identify areas where new thermal energy sources, thermal generation plants, and thermal distribution piping systems should be located. Using a combination of terrestrial scanning and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology with supplemental traditional ground field survey, we produced a topographical map showing the existing site features and elevations.
The project is a first step to implement the campus-wide thermal energy source and thermal distribution solution that will provide low temperature heating hot water and chilled water. VHB is also directing site/civil design and engineering, permit compliance, environmental inspections, and aiding the development of thermal fields and the conversion plant.
