Curious about Geothermal? Resources for Houses of Worship

There's been a groundswell of interest in geothermal heating and cooling lately, and for good reason. For houses of worship with an aging oil or gas boiler, a wish for better air conditioning, or climate goals they are serious about meeting, geothermal offers a system that is highly efficient, nearly invisible, and built to last for decades. And with federal and state incentives still in place, its net cost can come in roughly in line with a conventional HVAC replacement.

Our clean energy team has put together a set of resources to help you "dig deeper." Whether your congregation is simply curious or already gathering quotes, we hope you'll find a good place to start below.

Geothermal Basics: Stewardship Brief, Part 1

New to geothermal? Start here. This introductory brief explains how ground-source heat pumps draw on the steady temperature of the earth to heat a building in winter and cool it in summer, how they compare with air-source heat pumps, and why they may offer real long-term benefits for both sustainability and your budget.

Step by Step and Financing Options: Stewardship Brief, Part 2

Ready to think practically? The second brief walks through the decision in detail: the incentives that make geothermal affordable, how to get started, what challenges to expect along the way, and where networked geothermal is headed.

Case Study: Wellesley Village Church

Wellesley Village Church now meets 100% of its heating and cooling needs with geothermal energy. Facing two oil-fired boilers and seven rooftop units that were all past the end of their useful life, the congregation weighed its options carefully, and 85% voted in favor of geothermal. The system, which draws on eighteen thermal wells, each 850 feet deep, was activated in November 2025 and carried the building comfortably through one of the coldest New England winters in a decade. Read how the church navigated the financial analysis, the congregational vote, the capital campaign, and the incentives that cut the project's cost nearly in half.

Webinar Recording with GreenerU

Prefer to watch and listen? Our partners at GreenerU, the firm that designed and built the Wellesley Village Church system, joined us for a webinar on geothermal for houses of worship. You can watch the full recording below.

Talk with Us

Every building is different, and the right answer for one congregation may not be the right answer for another. If you'd like to explore whether geothermal makes sense for your house of worship, our technical advisors would be glad to talk it through with you. Reach out through our contact form, or email us directly at info@massipl.org.