ClimateMaster Geothermal Technology Drives Major Energy Modernization at Fort Sill Military Housing

A large military housing project at Fort Sill, Oklahoma is getting a geothermal heating and cooling upgrade. Geothermal systems use pipes buried underground to take advantage of the earth's steady temperature, which makes heating and cooling more efficient than standard equipment. The $63 million project, led by Corvias with Ameresco, is installing ClimateMaster geothermal heat pumps, smart thermostats, new hot water systems, and upgraded controls in more than 1,700 homes. It's expected to cut the community's energy use by about 57%, saving more than $5 million a year.

This is the third military base where Ameresco and Corvias have installed this kind of geothermal system, following similar projects at other installations. The work is being paid for through an arrangement called an Energy Savings Performance Contract, which lets the upgrades be financed by the energy savings they generate over time rather than requiring money upfront.

For homeowners, this isn't a program you can apply to — it's specific to military housing. But it's a real-world example of geothermal heat pumps at a large scale, and of financing upgrades through future energy savings rather than paying the full cost up front. Both ideas — geothermal heating and pay-over-time financing — do show up in some residential rebate and utility programs, so it may be worth checking whether anything similar is available where you live.