- Geothermal heating: The details are complex, but by digging 200-400 foot wells and constructing geothermal heating systems for each of the dorms, the campus’s heating and A/C became a lot more environmentally friendly.
The nitty-gritty: Hendrix uses low-temperature geothermal energy for both heating and cooling, which makes use of the stability of the earth’s inner temperature. In the summer, heat pumps extract the hotter air from the house so that it can be cooled in the earth. In the winter the outside air is colder than the ground temperature, so the heat pump can move the heat from the ground into the house or building.
The bottom line: the new system uses less energy, doesn’t waste water, requires no natural gas, reduces the opportunity for a large Freon leak and requires less maintenance. Plus, it allows students more individual control over the temperature of their rooms.
- Recycling: The Environmental Concerns Committee maintains Commingled recycling facilities in all Housing Units on campus, and Facilities employs a student worker to collect glass recycling.