Northampton High School in Massachusetts broke ground on an $11.6 million geothermal system that will replace aging heating and cooling equipment. Crews will drill 850 feet below the parking lot to use the earth's stable temperature, and the city expects it to cut the school's carbon pollution roughly in half. The project is backed by a $4 million MassCEC Green School Works grant plus municipal bonds and utility incentives. Earlier estimates point to a 17% drop in energy costs, up to 50% lower maintenance costs, and 68% less energy use. The school accounts for about 10% of Northampton's carbon output. Completion is expected by 2027. City officials say the contract includes guaranteed operating savings and a cost cap. The state program has committed over $72 million to Massachusetts schools, so this is meant as a repeatable model, not a one-off.
