Northampton High School in Massachusetts has broken ground on an $11.6 million geothermal heating and cooling project expected to cut the building's carbon emissions roughly in half. The system will replace aging chillers and boilers with ground-source heat pumps using underground pipes beneath the parking lot. City officials expect the equipment to last 100 years or more and say the contract includes guaranteed operating savings and a cost cap. Funding comes from a mix of Climate Stabilization funds, municipal bonds, utility incentives, and a $4 million MassCEC Green School Works grant. Earlier estimates said the switch could cut energy costs by 17%, maintenance costs by up to 50%, and building energy use by 68%. Since the high school accounts for about 10% of Northampton's carbon pollution, the project is a meaningful local step toward decarbonization, and its financing mix offers a model for other school districts.
