NYC May Turn Subway Station Heat Into a Bonus

New York City is investigating whether its sauna-like subway platforms can do more than make riders sweat. Officials on Monday unveiled an $800,000 study to see if the stifling heat at a station in Lower Manhattan can be captured and reused to warm nearby government buildings in winter—and help cool the station in summer, reports the New York Times. The money for what's known as a thermal energy network comes from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and if results look promising, design work could start early next year.

The idea: Drill more than 500 feet below an unused platform, pull excess heat into a web of pipes, and route it to buildings including City Hall and the Surrogate's Courthouse. Similar geothermal systems already operate at St. Patrick's Cathedral and in Europe, but New York would be the first US state to try this with its subway system, per Inside Climate News. MTA chief Janno Lieber said even a small temperature drop could shift riders from "total misery" to "merely sweltering," and the city comptroller flagged potential savings on utility bills, including the $1.5 million a year spent heating the nearby Manhattan Municipal Building.