How Heat Pumps & Geo-exchange will help Princeton University decarbonize

As part of Princeton University’s goal to achieve climate neutrality by 2046, we are advancing our use of geo-exchange and heat pump technology. Princeton’s campus conversion will be achieved by drilling over 2,000 geo-exchange bores, installed 600 – 850 feet below ground, installing over 13 miles of distribution piping, and upgrading our central plants and building systems. The geo-exchange bores form a closed-loop system which acts as a thermal “piggybank” below the ground. Heat-pumps are used to retrieve this thermal energy, heat or cool it, and pump it out to campus buildings. For more information about Princeton University's Sustainability Action Plan, visit sustain.princeton.edu.