Cutting Carbon

In 2009, Ball State broke ground on what would become the largest geothermal project in the country, spanning 47 buildings and 5.5 million square feet. The system cost $83 million to construct and replaced the university’s aging coal-fired steam system. With the goal of sustainability in mind, Associate Vice President for Facilities Planning and Management Jim Lowe designed the system, which has cut Ball State’s carbon footprint in half. “Doing nothing was not an option,” Lowe said.