Designing a Career

By Thad Plumley

As I walked across a parking lot to tour the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed SC Johnson headquarters in
Racine, Wisconsin, I was excited to take in two of the architectural wonders of the 20th century.

I didn’t realize that I was also about to witness proof that the geothermal movement is gaining momentum. But to my surprise, I got both.

Who doesn’t love a good two-for-one deal?

Wright’s administration building and research tower are incredible. Standing in the Great Workroom of the administration building or walking in the research tower which alternates square and circular floors for 15 stories are truly stunning experiences.

The administration building features tree-like columns that are just nine inches at the floor but expand to more than 18 feet when reaching the ceiling. Combining with the more than 43 miles of Pyrex glass tubing that make up the windows, the building is a marvel.

Both structures, along with so much of Wright’s work, would be masterpieces if their ribbon-cutting ceremonies were today. To consider that the SC Johnson administration building debuted in 1939 and the research tower came in 1950 is astonishing.

A tour guide told my wife and me that when the administration building opened it was cooled by having fresh air pulled into the building through two large vertical tubes on the roof that Wright called “the building’s nostrils.” The air was sent to the basement, filtered and cooled, and then moved via blowers upward and through vents around the Great Workroom.

Hearing that Wright was using the constant cool temperatures of the Earth so long ago made me smile. I was frozen, though, when the tour guide pointed out the SC Johnson campus now utilizes geothermal heating and cooling.

Well, wow!

Construction of the system started in 2019, and it went online in 2022. A total of 330 vertical boreholes were drilled for the project.

There are also several photovoltaic-wind lights in the parking lot and along walkways that help light the campus and power the geothermal system. The parking lot even gets in on the act as a portion of the asphalt is mixed with polyethylene plastic, creating a reuse for nearly 1000 pounds of plastic film. All are part of a sustainability-first approach that has seen the company drop its energy usage by 35%.

There is no doubt the time is now for geothermal. Seeing the technology cool 20th century architectural masterpieces reinforces that.

Ground source heat pump leasing is helping eliminate the upfront cost that was a non-starter for so many homeowners. It has exploded geothermal work in some areas around the country, and you don’t want to get left behind.

If you’re not involved in geothermal, consider it. It could be a revenue stream that positively impacts your company. Do your homework—this is an absolute must. Take the time to study and see if geothermal is right for you, your business, and the local market you serve.

Know up front there is a learning curve. But there was one when you began your career too, and you did just fine. Who knows? Geothermal could be the architect that redesigns your career forever.

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Thad Plumley is the editor of WWJ and the director of publications for the National Ground Water Association. He can be reached at tplumley@ngwa.org, or (800) 551-7379, ext. 1594.