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Geothermal Technology

Geothermal technology uses the natural energy from the earth, just below the surface, to heat and cool a building and to provide hot water for domestic use. It has been in use for over 30 years, though many of the more than 650,000 installations in North America supply residential homes. The technology is very prevalent in Sweden and is a standard option in Germany, Austria and Switzerland though today it can be found in use in every climate and on every continent in the world. Reducing energy costs has historically been the strongest driver of geothermal technology. While cost remains a strong driver, concerns over climate change are mounting and beginning to influence the building world. Today, we understand the negative effects of green house gases and we know these gases are produced primarily by burning fossil fuels, whether directly in our furnaces or indirectly to produce electricity.

Advanced technology and increasing populations are depleting our traditionally relied upon global resources faster than they can be regenerated. However, advanced technology is also providing us with the ability to discover and use other global resources previously beyond our reach. The sun is our greatest source of heat and light and convection from the sun creates winds that cool.

The sun's heat travels to the surface of the earth continuously, with approximately 46% of this energy absorbed into the earth's crust while the rest is reflected into the atmosphere. A few feet beneath the surface, the earth's temperature remains fairly constant, winter and summer, ranging from approximately 7ºC in the northern and southern latitudes to 22ºC near the equator. Geothermal technology takes advantage of these constant temperatures to provide renewable and extremely efficient heating and cooling. Because no fossil fuels are burned, geothermal technology greatly reduces the production of CO2 and all green house gases.

"The market place shift to green is gathering force. Massive obsolescence is looming. Green buildings... deliver 3.5% higher occupancy rates, 3% higher rent rates, and an average increase of 7.5% in building values; they also improve return on investment by 6.6% on average. Some green buildings do much better."

Charles Lockwood
(Barron's - December 2005)

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