MATTOON - Ground zero for a geothermal project at Lake Land College was looking anything but high tech on a hot, humid September day.

But the dusty work site near the entrance of the new Lake Land College Fitness Center will be the center of a heating and cooling project that uses the constant temperature of about 50 degrees more than 150 feet below the frost line.

About 30 wells will be drilled and connected through tubing into heating and cooling control systems inside the fitness center.

Nick Baker smiled widely when asked if he and drilling crew member Dustin Everett, both employees of Durbin Enterprises of Beecher City, had "hit oil" yet.

Lifting his sunglasses, Baker explained the drilling is setting up wells for placement of the tubing that will produce a loop for the heart of the geothermal system. It takes about two hours to reach a depth of about 200 feet for each well.

Actually, they are cutting into the Earth for some cooler or warmer air to tap for energy savings. That is one of the reasons Lake Land officials decided to install this green method.

"Basically, this geothermal system will use the ground to exchange cool or warm air to make the center warmer in the winter or cooler in the summer," said Lake Land Vice President of Business Services Ray Rieck.

For skeptics wondering if the college is pouring money into holes in the ground, consider the projected energy advantage for geothermal use could produce a 30 percent to 40 percent savings on electrical use compared to conventional heating and cooling systems. The college is expecting its overall energy costs to rise about 180 percent over the next 10 years due to building expansions, so geothermal may control costs.

"Our efforts for going green is what sparked this, but when we look at the potential savings, it is very practical," Rieck said.

The black tubing will be filled with a coolant liquid that conducts the cooling or heating needs of the geothermal system. The loop of tubing will be connected to piping in an equipment room within the fitness center, scheduled to open for general use in January.

Pumps, condensers and air handling equipment are being installed in the equipment room. Light weight concrete and shallow trenches will help hold down and direct the tubing from the wells.

But the system does have some limits. It will only be used for heating and cooling of the new fitness center at the Field House on Lake Land's campus. Still, overall, the project is saving the college money when compared to the cost of installing lines from the campus powerhouse.

"We do want to go green and use as many energy alternative projects as we can on campus, but the installation costs for geothermal equaled out with installation of lines from the physical plant to the fitness center," Rieck said.

Michael Kasdorf, Lake Land director of facilities planning, said geothermal systems have been used for 30 years in different forms. In addition, the college talked with Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center officials about their geothermal project applied to a specific section of the hospital.

"We learned when you go past 10,000 square feet you are facing higher maintenance expenses, but we're still looking at geothermal as a way to supplement heating and cooling in other places on the campus," Rieck said.

And another benefit from this and future geothermal projects could come in the classroom. Vocational and science students could learn from a green project on campus. And some energy-based classes are in the works to make the green effort potentially profitable for students seeking different careers.

"We want to be more of a green campus, and we want to educate, too,"Rieck said.

Herb Meeker can be reached at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.