By Lindsey Coulter��

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Brooklyn College has launched a major step toward meeting its campuswide decarbonization goals with the drilling of a 500-foot-deep geothermal test well, marking its participation in New York’s Decarbonization Leadership Program (DLP) and positioning the institution as a leader in sustainable campus infrastructure.��

The project, which kicked off during World Environment Day on June 5, is part of a broader initiative led by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to reduce emissions at the state’s largest carbon-emitting facilities. Brooklyn College is the first City University of New York (CUNY) campus to undergo this level of geothermal testing. The results will determine the viability of a fully integrated low-carbon energy system on campus.��

“Participating in Gov. Hochul’s Decarbonization Leadership Program is a pivotal step in CUNY’s commitment to environmental stewardship on our campuses,” said Mohamed Attalla, CUNY vice chancellor of facilities planning, construction and management, in a statement published by the college. “Expanding on renewable energy is a key strategic direction for CUNY including geothermal. Brooklyn College was envisioned as a suitable site and many sites will follow.”��

The initiative centers on the campus’ West End Building (WEB), a 20,000-square-foot academic hub that serves as an academic and student life center. A $10 million award from the New York State Bond Act will fund its conversion to a geothermal heating and cooling system that will provide the facility with 100% carbon-free climate control.��

Already equipped with hydronic infrastructure, the WEB is considered ideal for a geothermal retrofit. It houses a variety of high-use spaces, including a large open-use computer lab, multimedia classrooms, the Undergraduate Film Department, 16 student clubs and a student testing center.��

“Brooklyn College is proud to play a vital role in advancing clean energy innovation,” said College President Michelle J. Anderson in a statement. “This initiative stands as a cornerstone of the college’s commitment to building a cleaner, more resilient future.”��

The geothermal project is being delivered in partnership with NYPA, which provides energy services to public institutions across the state. Under the DLP, NYPA supports facilities with energy audits, engineering, installation and construction services aimed at accelerating the state’s climate goals.��

“Brooklyn College’s efforts to explore the viability of a geothermal system is an exciting milestone in the school’s journey toward decarbonization,” said Maribel Cruz-Brown, NYPA senior vice president of customer solutions, in a statement. “It exemplifies how the public sector is driving progress through collaboration and strategic planning.”��

CUNY is the nation’s largest urban public university system, enrolling nearly 240,000 students across New York City. Brooklyn College, a senior CUNY institution with a 90-year legacy, serves approximately 15,000 students across more than 100 academic programs.�� Other CUNY campuses, including Hunter College and City College, are developing decarbonization action plans through the same program.��

NYPA, the largest state public power organization in the U.S., generates more than 80% of its electricity from renewable hydropower and plays a key role in transitioning New York’s public facilities toward sustainable energy.��

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The community college currently educates more than 50,000 New Yorkers through degree, certificate and continuing education programs, and the library is the most heavily used space on campus.

“Our student population is largely low-income, new immigrant, or otherwise disadvantaged — many face numerous challenges on their way to a college degree, from financial burdens, juggling work (often more than one job), raising children, and other responsibilities — and they deserve and need a convenient, comfortable, modern space where they can grab time to study and reflect,” said La LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow in a statement.

The library expansion has been long overdue, Mellow added, and included converting the second floor of the college’s E-Building into an additional space for the existing library on the first floor. Making the library 58 percent larger and doubling its capacity to 732 seats, the expansion added 312 workstations with powered Internet connections at each, media rooms, 11 new group study rooms, new reading rooms, a new media lab, faculty suites, archive space and 50 new offices. It also included upgrading the first-floor library space and connecting the two spaces with a large staircase and enhanced elevator service.

The building’s previous second-floor space previously housed faculty offices and classrooms and has been converted to feature glazed divider walls, carpet flooring and fabric-wrapped wall panels for visual interest and acoustical control. A reference desk and computer desks mixed in with lounge-type tables and reading tables and chairs complete the space and allow for a flexible learning environment.

The new staircase is the highlight of the project. To create a seamless connection between both floors, the construction team removed the original stair from the main floor and cut an opening into the concrete slab of the new second-floor space to create a larger, more transparent staircase. It features wooden handrails and glazed sides as well as an all-glass opening on the second floor.

The biggest challenge for the project was that construction took place while the first-floor library was fully operational. In order to avoid disrupting student focus in the library, the construction team had to build its own scaffolding with stairs, a ramp and sidewalk bridge on the outside of the building in order to access the construction site. Materials were delivered either through the ramp or with a hoist through the second-floor opening. Even the new stair was delivered in sections through the exterior wall opening and assembled on site, according to a statement. Other aspects of the project — bathroom plumbing and air-conditioning, for example — were installed during school breaks and on weekends.

The library will now undergo a second phase of renovations that focus on the first floor and are based on input from students, faculty and staff.

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