Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority have announced a partnership to study the implementation of a Thermal Energy Network (TEN) at the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall and Chambers Street subway station complex. The initiative seeks to mitigate extreme heat on subway platforms while capturing and recycling excess thermal energy to warm nearby municipal buildings during the winter months.
If realized, the project would represent the first thermal energy network installed in a transit system in the United States. The announcement follows recent plans for a comprehensive renewal of the Chambers Street station, a 113-year-old facility. This revitalization project, funded through congestion pricing revenues in the MTA’s 2020-2024 Capital Plan, involves rebuilding structures, replacing tiles, upgrading stairways, and performing essential leak mitigation and ceiling repairs to address long-term water damage.
The study addresses critical temperature issues within the subway system. The Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall station has experienced average summer temperatures reaching 96 degrees Fahrenheit, and some subway platforms have been known to reach temperatures up to 20 degrees higher than the outside air. By utilizing a thermal energy network, officials aim to improve rider comfort and reduce heat-related service delays.
The proposed technical model would use radiant cooling technology and geothermal infrastructure to manage heat. Radiant cooling is estimated to be 25% to 35% more energy-efficient than traditional air conditioning. The plan involves using pipes to transfer heat from the platforms to geothermal boreholes drilled beneath the abandoned center platform at Chambers Street. This captured heat would be stored in the boreholes and redirected to heat adjacent city buildings during colder periods, potentially lowering long-term energy costs.
The feasibility study will be a collaborative effort involving the MTA, the New York City Department of City Administrative Services, the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Operations. A contract for the study is expected to be awarded this fall. If the geothermal network is found to be feasible, design work is scheduled to start in early 2027.
