University of Virginia Completed Geothermal Energy Plant
The 18,800-square-foot facility now provides sustainable power to the school's Fontaine campus.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Energy
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The University of Virginia finished construction of its new Fontaine Central Energy Plant, a 18,800-square-foot facility powered by geothermal technology. The plant supports 1.4 million gross square feet of campus space using heat recovery chillers and more than 100 geothermal wells.
Why it matters
The project serves as a model for decarbonizing campus infrastructure by utilizing zero-combustion technology to meet large-scale heating and cooling demands. This facility ensures the university can sustainably support future campus developments.
The plant spans 18,800 square feet and relies on a network of over 100 geothermal wells to power 1.4 million gross square feet of space. A value engineering process conducted during pre-construction successfully reduced the project's estimated cost by $600,000.
The players
University of Virginia
This public research university located in Charlottesville serves as the owner and primary occupant of the Fontaine campus facilities.
DPR Construction
This global commercial contractor served as the construction manager responsible for the technical installation of the plant's geothermal infrastructure.
The details
The facility features advanced zero-combustion technology, integrating heat recovery chillers with geothermal storage to optimize energy use. Construction required a complex, layered installation sequence of deep utilities, geothermal wells, and shallow utilities managed by DPR Construction.
Timeline
The value engineering process was completed during the pre-construction phase.
The Big Picture
The completion of this plant follows the institutional pattern set by the University of Virginia's Sustainability Plan to modernize campus energy systems. This project marks a significant paradigm shift toward zero-combustion infrastructure within large-scale academic real estate.
The facility's zero-combustion design offers a blueprint for reducing reliance on fossil fuels in large institutional settings. Future campus expansions will be more energy-efficient, potentially lowering the long-term carbon footprint associated with university growth.
The takeaway
Large-scale institutions are increasingly turning to geothermal storage and heat recovery to manage heavy energy loads without combustion. This project demonstrates how early-stage value engineering can maintain environmental goals while controlling construction costs.
Further reading
For more on local infrastructure advancements, visit the Energy section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine.
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