A packed auditorium at Sursa Performance Hall helped dedicate the first phase of Ball State's geothermal project today - a new venture that will save the school $2 million annually and has also led to an estimated 2,300 jobs.
The new heating and cooling system will also cut Ball State's 85,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions in half, according to an informational video that was shown during the presentation.
"The fact that we wanted to embrace a solution that was truly audacious ... this system will be 600 percent more efficient than our current system," said President Jo Ann Gora during an interview after the ceremony.
But the midst of all the congratuations, funding is still an issue.
Gora said the university still needs $20 million to complete the project, and it's looking into state, federal and grant funding. She said the portion of the system that is already running will save the university $1 million annually.
"It is posible to bond the rest of it and to use the savings that come from that bonding to finance the rest of the project," Gora said. "That is ultimately our fall back."
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