Geothermal heat pumps will help climate control in the highly visible building in the nations's Capital
The preliminary plans for a visitor screening facility at the base of the Washington Monument were approved yesterday by the National Capital Planning Commission.
The National Park Service proposal (PDF) , pitched in 2010, is meant to replace a temporary screening structure that's been there since 2001.
Due to the visual sensitivity of the facility, both from the ground and from aerial vantage points, no rooftop heat rejection equipment is recommended. Therefore, the proposed system for mechanical heat rejection is approximately four geothermal wells, each at a depth of approximately 400-500 feet. The geothermal well field would be tied to a heat pump through a closed loop system consisting of two refrigerant pipes. The heat pump will be located in a mechanical room beneath the new visitor’s facility.
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