The Atlantic County Utilities Authority has been committed to energy efficiency for many years. The Geo building, constructed in 1992, was one of the first installations
of geothermal heating and cooling systems in southern New Jersey. The GEO building is located at the Haneman Environmental Park in Egg Harbor Township and serves as the central administration offices for the ACUA.
The system depends on the constant 55-degree temperature of well water at a depth of 250 feet. Fifty closed-looped wells on a field adjacent to the Geo Building provide the water. The system extracts heat from the water in the winter, and in summer, heat is transferred to the ground via the water. The system uses three times less energy than the most efficient gas and oil systems. Other energy efficient features of the GEO building include high efficiency lighting, skylights, and carpeting made from recycled plastic soda bottles.
The energy efficient system of the GEO building was awarded a $48,000 incentive payment from Atlantic Electric. Conectiv continues to offer a rebate for the installation of geothermal systems. In order to qualify, the minimum Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) must be 13, and the rebate amount is $400 per ton. Please contact Conectiv’s Clean Energy Program for more information at 1-800-891-0321.