USA, Idaho: Boise’s District Geothermal Heating System is Largest of its Kind in the United States

Boise has the largest geothermal system in the country. Here's how it works (Idaho Press-Tribune)

Jon Gunnerson explains how the City of Boise’s geothermal heating process works during an interview in the mechanical room beneath Boise City Hall on Aug. 7.

Everything it takes to heat all four floors of Boise City Hall through the winter is contained in a small, blue box tucked in the corner of a basement mechanical room.

A short section of insulated lime green pipe comes into the device and loops back out again, carrying with it thousands of gallons of high-pressure water sourced from a fault line at the base of the foothills.

Water topping out at 170 degrees Fahrenheit snakes through pipes beneath the streets of downtown Boise, heating 6 million square feet of buildings during the winter.

Started in 1983, Boise’s geothermal system is the largest of its kind in the United States and sixth largest worldwide, according to city officials, and they want to see it expand. This year, the city received permission from the Idaho Department of Water Resources to increase the amount of water it uses. With more water, the city is hoping to connect more downtown buildings.

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