Rob Ferrino, CEO of Madison Construction in Orland Park, Illinois, believes in the importance of helping underserved areas of the communities in which he works. To meet the needs of his clients who have smaller budgets, Rob Ferrino strives to provide cost-effective construction solutions. One such example is the addition of a geothermal well to the construction of the Lawndale Christian Health Center in Chicago.
To help keep energy costs down, the project utilized supporting structural caissons, which had previously been drilled into the ground, as shallow geothermal wells. Since caisson holes are wider and shallower than traditional geothermal wells, slinky-like tubes were inserted into the caisson holes to circumvent the shape disparity.
While caissons have never previously been leveraged as a source of geothermal energy, the projected energy savings from their use can be significant. In ten years’ time, the use of caissons to generate geothermal energy may become a standard option for heating and cooling structures at no cost.
To help keep energy costs down, the project utilized supporting structural caissons, which had previously been drilled into the ground, as shallow geothermal wells. Since caisson holes are wider and shallower than traditional geothermal wells, slinky-like tubes were inserted into the caisson holes to circumvent the shape disparity.
While caissons have never previously been leveraged as a source of geothermal energy, the projected energy savings from their use can be significant. In ten years’ time, the use of caissons to generate geothermal energy may become a standard option for heating and cooling structures at no cost.
