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The environmental benefits are compelling,
too. Annual emissions savings for a 300-ton (HVAC thermal unit) GHP installation:
- NOx 5.3 tons/year
- SO2 2.25 tons/year
- CO2 887 tons/year
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About GHPs
Efficient, non-polluting and cost-effective,
GHPs (geothermal heat pumps) offer an exceptional alternative to
conventional heating and cooling systems. They have been providing
clean comfort for over half a century. In fact, over 750,000 GHP
systems have been installed in the U.S. alone, in residences and
commercial and institutional buildings.
How do they work? GHP systems comprise two primary
components: the underground closed-loop earth heat exchanger (EHX) and a set
of indoor water-source heat pumps. The principle behind a GHP system is simple.
It uses the constant temperature of the ground below the surface as a highly
efficient heat sink for rejected heat in cooling mode and as a heat source for
heating mode.
Why choose a GHP? GHPs offer significant economic,
environmental and practical benefits compared to alternatives. Because the constant
temperature of the underground earth is more thermodynamically efficient than
outside air as a heat sink and source, a GHP system is able to reduce utility
expenditures (electricity, natural gas, heating oil, propane) associated with
heating and cooling by 20-60% relative to conventional HVAC systems.
Why GHP vs. conventional HVAC?
- More cost-effective: reduce
energy consumption (and associated utility costs) up to 70%
- Reduce utility connection costs: eliminates the need for expensive natural
gas company connections
- Safety: eliminate boiler and natural gas and propane explosions
and carbon monoxide risks
- Cleaner: dramatically reduce emissions associated with fossil fuel burn
- Simpler: simple technology reduces maintenance and repair costs
- More streamlined: eliminate
bulky, unattractive external equipment such as cooling towers that interfere
with architectural design, take up valuable space and invite vandalism.
All elements of a GHP system are either underground, or inside walls or
ceilings – unseen, silent and safe.
- Healthier: eliminate
long duct runs and cooling towers that can be a breeding ground for bacteria
and allergens.
- More comfortable: individual heat pumps enable precise individual room
temperature control.
- Quieter: GHPs have few moving parts, and the underground heat exchanger
is silent.
GHP systems offer significant savings over the lifecycle
of the system. Example savings for a system installed in New York State are indicated
below.
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