Como Park Zoo and Conservatory breaks ground on energy efficiency project

St. Paul has begun work to improve energy efficiency at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory.

As part of St. Paul’s goals to achieve carbon neutrality, the city started construction last month on a decarbonization project at the popular destination.

The zoo and conservatory is the largest energy consumer owned by St. Paul, with yearly costs surpassing $1 million. Many buildings house animals and have intensive operational needs 24 hours a day, said Cecilia Govrik, the city’s energy coordinator.

St. Paul and Honeywell are collaborating on the project, which focuses on buildings that house primates and polar bears. Honeywell is building a geothermal system that will harness heat from the earth to cool and heat buildings. The system will reduce fossil fuel use and operating costs, said Sunilkumar Prajapati, Honeywell’s general manager of sustainable building technologies.

The zoo uses a central boiler system that is about 70 years old, Govrik said. Once the project is completed, the primate and polar bear buildings will no longer rely on the central boiler. An administrative building will be converted to an electrical boiler system. The ultimate goal is to phase out the central boiler system across all buildings.

Prajapati said the project was designed to minimize impact on zoo animals and visitors, with disruptions limited to specific areas.

The project is estimated to cost just under $16 million. St. Paul secured $2.2 million in federal funding, with additional financing provided by the city’s new sales tax aimed at supporting streets and parks, St. Paul Chief Resilience Officer Russ Stark said. Govrik said the project is expected to qualify for additional rebates and tax credits.

Improvements to the facility’s HVAC and water heating systems are expected to save $1.8 million in energy and operation costs over the next three years.

Beyond the current geothermal project, St. Paul has implemented other energy efficiency initiatives across the campus, including installing LED lighting and weatherization, Govrik said.

The project is estimated to be completed by the end of 2025.

The zoo “gets a lot of love and a lot of use,” Stark said. “It’s a really great opportunity for us to do these things that are going to benefit our climate, because it’s a place where people are coming to learn about animals, about the environment.”

Grace Henrie is a University of Minnesota student reporter on assignment with the Minnesota Star Tribune.