in the city's East End is months away from becoming a reality, but a key element of its identity is already being put into place.
The communal housing concept hopes to promote sustainability, and holes are being drilled into the ground so it can operate largely on geothermal energy. "This is like drilling a water well," developer David Kelley said on the 62 holes needed to make the concept work. "We're going about 300 feet deep, and it's pretty much the same technology in creating a water well."Kelley said it costs about 50% more than building a facility that uses traditional electricity, but it pays for itself in around five years.
"It is a quiet and reliable renewable energy source," he said. "You can reduce your electricity use by up to 50%."Facilities using this technology still have to be tied to the grid in order to operate the pumps needed to create renewable energy.