Drury to install geothermal system at Stone Chapel

The system relies on closed loops of water that exchange heat with the ground through wells drilled near the building.

“The ability to collect heat from the ground in the winter is considered renewable energy because the heat is free and collected by the sun’s radiant heating of the surface of the planet,” Campus Sustainability Director Wendy Anderson said in a Drury news release. “No fossil fuels are burned in the production of the heat, although a small amount of electricity is needed to circulate water through the loops and to circulate cool or warm air throughout the building.”

Installation of the geothermal system will cost up to $100,000 more than a traditional system but will yield energy savings over its life cycle, Drury Interim President Todd Parnell said in the release.

The chapel’s $1.3 million renovation, funded by donations, is scheduled to begin in late October and should be complete by March 1. The project calls for installation of an elevator, upgrades to electrical services, parking, lighting, restrooms and overall handicap accessibility.

The chapel – located on the southwest side of the campus at the corner of Central Street and Benton Avenue – was built in 1881 and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Landmarks; it also is considered the oldest stone structure in Springfield, according to the release.

In addition to serving as a university building, the chapel hosts about 35 weddings each year, and officials expect that to increase by about 30 percent after the renovations, according to the release.

This story originally appeared in SBJ’s Sept. 25 free e-news Daily Update. Click here to register.