Wellesley Village Church

The existing system—two oil-fired boilers and seven rooftop units—had become loud, inefficient, and unreliable. Working with GreenerU, the church evaluated two paths forward:

• A lower-cost hybrid system using natural gas and air-source heat pumps
• A fully electrified geothermal system with higher upfront cost but stronger long-term benefits

WVC ultimately chose the geothermal option, prioritizing long-term value, reduced carbon emissions, and alignment with its mission. Read more about the decision making process here.

The Solution

The new system includes:

• 18 geothermal wells drilled 850 feet underground
• 150 tons of heating and cooling capacity
• New high-efficiency air handling equipment with energy recovery
• Integration with existing building systems to reduce disruption
• A building management system for real-time performance tracking

Learn more about the ins and outs of the system in our technical case study (coming soon!).

Implementation

Installing geothermal in a busy downtown location required careful planning. The project team:

• Strategically located wells to maintain access for building users
• Adapted quickly when field conditions required relocating a well
• Coordinated restoration of landscaping and irrigation after construction

Key takeaways

This project highlights several lessons for similar buildings:

• Early testing of ground conditions can reduce risk
• Communication is essential, especially during noisy drilling
• Tight sites require detailed planning for equipment and logistics
• Clear system documentation is critical for long-term maintenance

Hear GreenerU’s CEO Rob Durning speak on some of our other project takeaways here.

Today, Wellesley Village Church stands as a model for how existing buildings, including historic ones, can transition to clean energy systems through thoughtful planning and execution. They continue to spread the word about their success with this technology, including at the 2026 Wellesley Geothermal Forum.