with Audrey Schulman and John Ciovacco
Networked Geothermal systems are an innovative solution to heat and cool buildings in a safe, non-emitting, and affordable way. Instead of natural gas, networked geothermal uses interconnected ground source heat pumps. The system connects buildings with different heating and cooling needs, improving the overall system efficiency for all the connected buildings. This model is already becoming a reality. Eversource Gas and National Grid, two of the largest utilities in Massachusetts, have received permission to build a total of five demonstration projects. Seven other gas utilities and 12 states are now looking into moving forward with their own networked geothermal projects.
John P. Ciovacco, the President of Aztech Geothermal, LLC received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Union College. John chairs the educational sessions at NY-GEO’s annual heat pump conference, which is widely regarded as the largest and most comprehensive in the Northeastern US. His company, Aztech Geothermal, has designed and installed hundreds of residential and commercial ground source heat pump systems since the early 2000’s. Aztech is involved in over 15 District / Networked Geothermal projects in the Northeast, several of them involving regulated gas and electric utilities.
Audrey Schulman, HEET Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, is a A lover of maps, she created the first-in-the-nation statewide zoomable public map of utility-reported gas leaks. Together with Zeyneb Magavi, she has developed HEET’s innovative solution to transition gas utilities from gas to networked geothermal, or systems of networked ground source heat pumps. There are several gas utilities now installing thermal networks in Massachusetts and New York. Schulman is also the author of six novels, which have been translated into 12 languages and reviewed by The New Yorker, The Economist and CNN.
Click here for the video of the presentation and discussion
Click here for Audrey’s slides.