Three age-old Hartford landmarks going green

Three of Hartford's oldest historic landmarks -- the Butler-McCook House & Garden, the Amos Bull House, and the Main Street History Center -- are about to get a modern contribution to conserving energy and the environment.

Known collectively as the Connecticut Landmarks' Hartford Campus, the trio will soon be heated and cooled using alternative energy format that taps the Earth's natural energy.

Mayor Pedro Segarra, State Sen. John Fonfara, D-Hartford, and Congressman John Larson, D-1^st District, will put their ceremonial shovels in the dirt at 5 p.m. Thursday to officially start the installation of a geothermal heating, ventilation and air conditioning system to supply green energy the campus.

The geothermal HVAC system uses warm temperatures underground to provide heat in the winter and a cool heat sink for air conditioning systems.

The buildings that comprise the Connecticut Landmarks' Hartford campus have existed nearly two centures, watching the town and the street evolve since the early 1800s. Among other things, they've housed Connecticut's state agencies dedicated to historic preservation.