Geothermal heating is among some of the most efficient ways to heat your commercial facility, not to mention a key renewable energy source. Commercial buildings typically have a large carbon footprint and heating and cooling those facilities can cost a great deal of money while also draining our natural resources. As a result, a great number of new commercial properties are built with geothermal heating and cooling systems. Also, we are seeing many older building being remodeled to incorporate more efficient geothermal systems.
What is Geothermal?
Geothermal heating and cooling takes advantage of the Earth’s natural underground heat. This heat is always there and available – under your feet! Believe it or not, the temperature underground remains fairly constant between hot summer months and cold wintery months. That is why animals burrow underground to stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Essentially, this the same premise for using geothermal to heat and cool commercial buildings.
How Geothermal Works
Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of the Earth’s relatively constant temperature at depths of about 10 to 300 feet. Geothermal heat pumps can be used almost everywhere in the world. They are designed to circulate water or other liquids through pipes buried in a continuous loop, either horizontally or vertically, under a landscaped area, parking lot, or any number of areas around the building. The Environmental Protection Agency considers them to be one of the most efficient heating and cooling systems available.
To create heat in your facility during colder months, the heat pump uses the loops to extract the natural occurring heat from the ground. The system pulls the heat from the loops and distributes it through a conventional duct system.
To generate cooling, the opposite occurs and the process is reversed. Instead of pulling heat from the ground, heat is taken from the air in the facility moved back to the ground through the loops, or even to preheat water in you hot water tanks.
How to Use This Information
Major has installed over 25 million square feet of geothermal spanning over 1,000 systems. We have team of Forensic Specialists and System Forensic Specialists who can help you if you are considering geothermal at you facility. It is among the most economical and green friendly initiatives today. If you are interested in the latest commercial comfort trends or need a free systems evaluation, schedule online or call 303-424-1622.
