D-Lab: Campus/District Decarbonization with 4 Field Trips to Local Low/Zero Carbon Sites

MIT Media Library Green Building and a snowy Charles River. Aerial photo: Emily Dahl

About the class

Provides a technical introduction to campus/district building decarbonization using 5th & 6th Generation Thermal Energy Networks. Introductory lectures (1 hour/week) plus field trips (3 hours/week) to four Low/Zero Carbon sites in the Boston area provide firsthand experience with the technologies, design and planning involved in campus/district decarbonization.

All field trips take place during class sessions. (Transportation is arranged and free).

This IAP class offers students an excellent foundation that can be further expanded through the Spring 2026 MIT D-Lab class,Thermal Energy Networks for Decarbonization of Campuses, Neighborhoods, and Cities (EC.716/EC.786) and/or joining the Geo@MIT student group.

Schedule and registration

This class is available online, in-person, and hybrid and open to members of the MIT community only.

The class meets Wednesdays, 12-5 pm: January 7, 14, 21, and 28.

Information on registration here.

Instructor and guest lecturer

The class is taught by D-Lab's Susan Murcott with guest lecturer Rick Clemenzi ’81.

Rick Clemenzi is co-owner of Geothermal Design Center, a licensed geothermal specialty engineering firm, and Asheville Geothermal, a Geothermal Specialty HVAC Contracting firm. They also founded Net Zero Foundation to educate about Decarbonization using Advanced Geothermal Heat Pump systems. They won the 2016 MIT Climate CoLab MIT Campus Decarbonization competition presenting an early GDHC solution specifically targeted to MIT's campus. Rick is a Certified GeoExchange Designer (CGD), and sits on the C-448 ANSI/CSA Bi-National Ground Source Heat Pump Design and Installation Standard's Technical Committee. In addition, Rick has been an IGSHPA trainer. The Geothermal Design Center/Rick holds several Accredited Installer trainings in Asheville for area contractors. Rick has both AI and Certified Geothermal Driller qualifications.