St. Patrick’s Goes Geothermal

June 9 – The $177 million renovation of St. Patrick’s Cathedral—the most extensive in its 136-year history—is being pushed toward completion in time for Pope Francis’ visit to New York City in September. Not the least of its improvements will be an open-loop geothermmal heating and cooling system. The four-year renovation was slated for completion in December, but workers are ahead of schedule and most of the project likely will be done by late-July.

According to an article in Newsday, “One item that won’t be completed by the pope’s visit is a geothermal heating and air-condi-tioning system. Workers installing it are using a huge drill to bore 2,000 feet into ground beneath the cathedral. During the pope’s visit, workers will do their best to cover up the drill, located outside the north side of the cathedral.” Read the article here. (Newsday)

In a letter of support to Pope Francis on his controversial views in the Vatican’s latest Encyclical, which emphasizes the spirit-ual leader’s stand on global climate change, New York Geothermal Energy Organization (NY-GEO) Executive Director Bill Nowak said, “I would like to express our support for your environmental concerns. There is a clear, definitive and urgent ethical imperative to act. That is what His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan of New York is doing in his renovation of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral by choosing to have a geothermal heat pump system installed. This renewable heating and cooling system is the most efficient technology available today. He is doing what you are preaching. We at NY-GEO are delighted the Cardinal is leading the way in upgrading to this renewable energy technol-ogy.” (GEO, Newsday and NY-GEO)