Boston University’s new Data Science Center to be powered by 31 Geothermal wells
The BU Data Sciences Center is being built on the corner of Commonwealth Avenue and Granby Street, and will be powered by geothermal energy as reported by BU Today. The development of this building has greater implications for the greater Boston area as once finished, it will demonstrate how a building can be carbon neutral.
“The Boston University Center for Computing & Data Sciences will be a gateway to the future of data science and sustainability” John Fish, Chairman and CEO of Suffolk, told Boston Realestate Times.
BU’s Data Science Center is predicted to have 31 wells built into it, making it Boston’s largest carbon neutral building.
Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source where heat is continuously produced inside the earth. In order to harness this natural heat, geothermal wells are created and systems of pumps used, to convert the heat into an energy source that powers buildings.
“Boston’s buildings account for approximately 71 percent of our community carbon emissions, and represent the greatest opportunity for emissions reductions.” reports the Boston Housing and Developing agency.
Predicted to be complete in 2023, the Data Sciences Center will be fossil fuel free and feature energy efficient devices such as advanced solar shading devices, geothermal energy production and triple-glazed windows according to BU’s associate vice president for university sustainability Dennis Carlberg in an interview with Fast Company.
Cities being some of the largest fossil fuel emitters as they have a high population density, large vehicle activity and factories in the area. As documented in 2018 Boston falls short of WHO's clean air threshold, city-wide changes are being made.
In September, the Boston City Council approved an ordinance that requires “all buildings larger than 20,000 square feet to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050” reported WBUR. One of the largest institutions in the area, Boston University, is working toward this ordinance by employing the use of renewable energy sources to power their buildings.
However, the building’s electricity will not be entirely powered by geothermal energy; rather BU will “displace more fossil-fuel intense electricity production,” to a wind turbine farm they purchased in South Dakota. “BU is matching 100% of our electricity needs with new renewable resources,” according to BU’s sustainability program
The creation of the building has set a president for the rest of Boston. As a result of this Boston area schools such as The new King Open and Cambridge Street Upper Schools and Community Complex in Cambridge have begun designing and creating “first net-zero emissions school in Massachusetts” that will incorporate geothermal energy as reported by Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section.
The clean energy technology is available, however it is more difficult to implement geothermal processes and it is a matter of making it more accessible. The creation of BU’s Data Sciences Center will be one of the first steps in offsetting current carbon emissions and other institutions following suit will help achieve Boston’s goal of buildings becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
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