In Verona, Wisconsin, software giant Epic Systems has built what may be the largest private geothermal heating and cooling network on Earth. (Inside Climate News)
The company maintains a subterranean system of 6,100 boreholes that keeps its fantasy-themed headquarters comfortable year-round.
Epic says its buildings use 75% less energy than typical offices, with more than half of that savings coming from geothermal. The underground network also acts as a thermal battery, storing excess summer heat for winter use.
Utilities across the US are studying Epic’s setup as a model for neighborhood-scale geothermal grids. The pipes are expected to last 80+ years, and the company’s early borefields are already fully paid off.