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Foremost among these benefits is that the WaterFurnace geothermal system allows the building to gain a modern heating and cooling system without altering its historic character and charm. An environmentally safe water/antifreeze combination circulates through buried pipes, where it picks up enough warmth to heat the building in cold weather. In warm weather, the process is reversed, providing air conditioning. WaterFurnace systems use no noisy outdoor units. All the equipment is inside, out of sight to visitors. As part of the installation, the county is building furniture screens to hide the ducts that transport either heated or cooled air throughout the building.

“Installation of the WaterFurnace system was driven primarily by the State Landmark status of the building. State and National Landmarks are governed by National Parks Service standards, which restrict the placement of anything that will or can impact historic resources. We cannot place anything outside the building, so installing a geothermal system was a great solution,” Ooley said.

In addition to preserving the building’s historic character and protecting the environment by not burning fossil fuels, the highly efficient WaterFurnace system is expected to save taxpayers money by reducing annual utility bills from $64,000 to just $1,800, Ooley said.

“It’s a privilege for us to be working on the renovation of this significant and historic building,” said Richard Conkling, WaterFurnace’s Commercial Sales Manager. “Geothermal is the only technology that could accomplish everything Santa Barbara County wanted—to preserve the building’s historical integrity, reduce energy costs and protect the environment.”

The WaterFurnace installation is underway in the Hall of Records, one of several buildings that comprise the 150,000-square-foot courthouse complex. Work on the geothermal system is being done in two parts. Digging of 32 vertical boreholes adjacent to the building, each about 400 feet deep, is scheduled for completion by March 31, 2004, the beginning of the tourist season. The geothermal system is scheduled to go online by the beginning of October 2004, and the entire project is scheduled for completion by December 2004.

The restoration and rehabilitation of the Hall of Records will cost $1.8 million, funded by fees paid to the county’s clerk/recorder/assessor’s office. Work on the rest of the courthouse’s buildings will take 10 years and cost $25 million, much of which is expected to come from private donations, according to Ooley. Plans call for an additional, larger WaterFurnace geothermal system to be part of that effort.

The Santa Barbara County Courthouse replaced an earlier structure that was destroyed by an earthquake in 1925. Considered a prime example of Spanish Andalusian architecture, the courthouse draws thousands of visitors and is the site of hundreds of weddings each year. A State Historic Landmark, it is under consideration as a National Historic Landmark.

I’d like to request information on how WaterFurnace could reduce my utility bills and energy use, while protecting the environment.

Learn more about geothermal technology on the WaterFurnace Web site.