The Carrboro Board of Aldermen discussed the project timeline for the Southern Branch Library on Tuesday.

The proposed site for the library is 203 South Greensboro Street in downtown Carrboro.

It’s a project that has been in the works for several years and making it a reality is something Alderman Randee Haven-O’Donnell wants to see happen.

“To think that by 2019 we could be talking about going to the library in downtown is unbelievably exciting,” said Haven-O’Donnell.

The library will be built by the county and will replace the Carrboro Branch Library at McDougle Middle School and the Cybrary in the Carrboro Century Center.

Alderman Sammy Slade was interested in bringing a geothermal system to the new library. Orange County has already installed geothermal systems in public buildings in Hillsborough, like the detention center, the district attorney’s office and the courthouse.

A geothermal heating and cooling system uses the constant temperature of the earth to regulate the air conditioning system, opposed to the outside air temperature, which can vary greatly.

Geothermal systems are more expensive to install than regular air conditioning systems but according to energy.gov, they are two to four times more efficient, allowing for savings over the long term.

Trish McGuire, Carrboro’s planning manager, said the county was planning on examining the ground at the site to see if it could accommodate a geothermal system.

“It is their intention to evaluate further the appropriateness of the site from a geological and soils perspective, with regard to geothermal, because of the cost savings they have experienced with the projects they have been using it for in Hillsborough, said McGuire.

The Board of Alderman also agreed to plan a work session to see how they could include affordable housing into the site at 203 South Greensboro Street.

The site is also being considered as a possible new location for Kidzu, a children’s museum or the Arts Center.

Construction of the library is planned to begin in September of 2017.

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