Last week in Minnesota, Como Park Zoo & Conservatory in Saint Paul broke ground on an automation and geothermal energy project to save energy and reduce the zoo’s operating costs. Working with Honeywell, the zoo and conservatory will focus primarily on deploying more sustainable equipment and new control strategies in its Primates, Polar Bear, and Administration buildings to support enhanced comfort for animals, visitors and staff.
“We are proud to partner with Honeywell to install a geothermal energy system in our city at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory,” said Melvin Carter, Mayor of Saint Paul. “This investment will provide heating and cooling for our plants and animals year-round, ensuring a fantastic and more sustainable guest experience for the years to come.”
The project will also help advance the City of Saint Paul’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality for its operations by 2030, and citywide by 2050. With energy costs surpassing $1 million per year, the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is the largest energy user in the city’s portfolio. Working with Honeywell’s Building Automation team, the City of Saint Paul is expected to realize up to $1.8 million in energy and operational cost savings over the next three years, through major improvements being made to its HVAC and water heating systems. LED lighting upgrades, mechanical system updates, and building management systems are also part of the project to more effectively manage onsite energy usage throughout the entire campus.
Watch the YouTube video below from KARE 11 News to learn more about the project.
Updates being made to the Primates and Polar Bear buildings include:
- Geothermal source heat pump systems will provide heating and cooling to the building hydronic systems. The systems will replace an aging central low-pressure steam plant.
- Domestic hot water will be supplied by a dedicated geothermal heat pump system backed up with storage to optimize hot water production.
- New geothermal wells will supply new chilled water and existing hydronic hot water heating systems.
- Existing direct expansion (DX) cooling equipment will be replaced with higher efficiency chilled water-cooling equipment.
- Backup emergency generators and high-efficiency boilers will provide grid backup and energy resilience in addition to maintaining the unique life safety needs of the animals.
“This project is a significant step forward in Como Park Zoo & Conservatory’s commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship,” said Michelle Furrer, Director of Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. “By partnering with Honeywell, we are not only aligning with the City of Saint Paul’s climate action goals but also helping to ensure that our facilities continue to support the well-being of our animals and the comfort of our visitors. These upgrades will help us reduce our carbon footprint, enhance energy efficiency, and contribute to a better future for our community.”
Funding for the project was made possible through congressionally directed spending through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, State of Minnesota bonding funds, and the City of Saint Paul’s Common Cent Program. The “Common Cent” is a voter-approved, one-cent increase in the local sales tax and is estimated to collect $1 billion over 20 years, with funds being invested into improvements to the city’s regionally significant roads and nationally acclaimed parks and recreation facilities. The one-cent increase to the local sales tax was implemented April 1, 2024. About $738 million is allocated for street improvements and about $246 million is allocated for parks and recreation facilities improvements.
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Honeywell has guaranteed $9.5 billion in energy and operational cost savings for more than 3,400 projects globally to date. This project adds to that effort, and illustrates Honeywell’s alignment of its portfolio with three megatrends: automation, the energy transition, and future of aviation.
“Honeywell has extensive experience in improving and optimizing automation and building efficiency in complex projects around the world,” said Sudhakar Janakiraman, President of Honeywell Building Automation’s Building Solutions segment. “Working with the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory gave us the opportunity to partner with them on their sustainability goals while enhancing a beloved landmark in Saint Paul and safeguarding the zoo’s most valued residents – the animals.”