Sustainable Princeton has named Princeton Academy as one of its 2013 local “green” leaders for its recent installation of geothermal wells.
Princeton Academy, alongside nine other recipients, will accept a Sustainable Leadership award on Jan. 29 at the Princeton Public Library.
The Sustainable Princeton Leadership Awards are sponsored by Sustainable Princeton with support from the Princeton Environmental Commission.
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Princeton Academy recently completed a $12 million renovation to the interior of most of its academic spaces. This included the installation of 40 geothermal wells to provide students with a more environmentally conscious learning environment.
Geothermal energy is still a little known, and largely untapped, renewable energy source. It is produced through a series ground source “loops” where water is taken from the Earth and used to heat and cool a building through the simple principle of “heat transfer.”
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“We are thrilled to accept this award. The geothermal will allow us to drastically cut our carbon footprint,” remarked Headmaster Olen Kalkus. “Since its founding in 1999, Princeton Academy has kept stewardship of the environment in the forefront of its growth and development.”
In addition, the Princeton Academy campus also features two beehives, sections of developed meadow habitats, a greenhouse that requires no manmade heating and a gym built into the ground, which takes advantage of passive geothermal heat transfer. The School also uses LED lighting and has plans to install solar panels.
Chris Schade, the Chair of the Board of Trustees, emphasized that this transition has further realized the Sacred Heart goal that calls for “educating to social awareness, which impels to action.”
“This project is an important part of the renovation of the space for learning and will help move the school to a goal of ‘net zero energy’ when combined with future plans for solar installation,” added Schade. “Princeton Academy has built a 21st century learning facility while providing a pedagogical platform for its students.”
For more information about Princeton Academy, please contact Maggie Kelly, the Director of Development, at 609-921-1879 or mkelly@princetonacademy.org.
