6. Belvedere Castle is Going Green

Courtesy of Central Park Conservancy

The new renovations are ushering in a new phase for Belvedere and sustainability was an important factor. That’s why a new zero emissions, geothermal heating and cooling system was installed in the castle. The new additions will also solve many of the problems with leakage that first caused the structure’s deterioration.

To keep the mechanics concealed from visitors, workers had to construct the system 400-feet deep inside Vista Rock, where the ground remains 50-60 degrees. The system will move water into the earth below the rock, where it’s either heated or cooled and then pumped back up to the castle. The air then filters in through a heat exchanger. Because the whole process happens so far under the ground, it won’t interfere with the appearance of the castle for visitors.