Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 66.77
Liaison Paul Edlund
Submission Date May 31, 2023

STARS v2.2

Montana State University
IN-50: Innovation D

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.50 / 0.50 Rose Vejvoda
Project Coordinator
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
Energy Districts and Geothermal Wells

A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:

As an ongoing energy efficiency priority, MSU has developed multiple interconnected “energy districts” across campus. Energy districts conserve energy by transferring excess heat among the nearby buildings, dramatically reducing energy consumption in multi-building settings. These innovative efforts were featured in a publication of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

MSU hopes to help the building industry integrate these strategies to address degrading infrastructure and pressure to reduce operating costs while dramatically cutting greenhouse gas emissions. For example, Romney Oval, the green space in front of Romney Hall, features 80 boreholes that are 700 feet deep, that anchor a high-efficiency geothermal energy system serving Romney Hall and several other nearby buildings.

By enabling a more efficient heating and cooling system for several campus buildings and reducing reliance on MSU's natural gas-fired steam heating plant, the geothermal boreholes are projected to reduce MSU's associated carbon emissions by 1 million pounds per year, or about 20,000 metric tons over the lifetime of the system.


A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise or a press release or publication featuring the innovation :
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.