This
week, the “Goloka” building project moved a
whole lot of earth in its quest for energy efficient heat.
Contractors using heavy machinery dug up the pasture below
the building site in preparation for installing the pipes
for a new geothermal heating system—the first of
its kind in the Ashram.
Geothermal is an energy-efficient and sustainable system
that uses the Earth as a heat source in the winter and a
heat sink in the summer. A system of underground pipes filled
with an water/alcohol mixture transfers heat to the building
in the winter and discharges heat from the building to the
ground in the summer. On the building end of the pipes is
a heat pump which acts as an exchanger for the heat in winter
and the cool in summer.
It’s taken several years of research and study for
geothermal to become a reality. The system involves a substantial
initial capital cost, but within seven to ten years the investment
will be recovered in energy cost savings. The new system
will cost approximately $85/month to operate, as opposed
to electric heat with costs of around $270/month.
“We’re thinking about the long-term,” said
Ashram resident Charles Green. “This heating system
is a way of providing for the next generation. Future Ashram
guests will benefit from this.”
The heating system will cost approximately $50,000 to install.
If you would like to contribute to the construction of Goloka
click to down load a pledge
form.
Or, contact Swami Sivananda at swamisiva@netidea.com .
All contributions are tax deductible.
An Upgrade for Saraswati, too!
We’re renovating our current guest facilities with
an eye to the future, as well. Saraswati Lodge, which was
built in 1970, has a new roof and next week will be insulated
and finished with stucco. Here’s our “before” picture
of the lodge with it’s new roof. Be sure to check the
news page in two weeks to see the transformation completed.
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Geothermal
lines in ditch below Goloka. There are 3,500
feet of pipe burried in the ground.
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Back
hoe digging ditch at minimum 5 feet deep.
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New
roof on Saraswati Guest Lodge |
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