Environmental Cents: Energy Efficient Construction
Geothermal heat pumps are not only more efficient than traditional heat pumps, they can produce substantial energy savings.
By Bruce Saller
COLUMNIST
As energy costs increase and the impacts of climate change grow, it is essential that schools and other buildings are constructed as energy efficiently as possible, Arlington County has been a leader in constructing energy efficient schools.
Discovery Elementary School uses 77% less energy per square foot than the average Arlington County school and is saving $100,000 per year on energy costs. Major energy-efficient features include:
100% LED lighting
Insulated concrete walls
Rooftop solar panels
More windows to increase natural lighting
Solar hot water
Geothermal heat pumps
A large portion of the energy savings comes from using geothermal heat pumps. Conventional heat pumps transfer heat between the inside and outside air. The efficiency of the transfer declines in winter as the outside temperature decreases.
Geothermal heat pumps transfer heat between the heat pump refrigerant and water circulating through underground wells. Since the water temperature is stable year-round (about 55 degrees in our area), the heat transfer in winter is much more efficient. In summer, the heat absorbed by the cool water provides most of the needed cooling. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates a geothermal heat pump uses 61% less energy than a conventional heat pump, with a payback period of 5 – 10 years.
These energy saving ideas should be considered in construction of government, commercial, retail and even residential developments. A mixed-use community in Kentucky (2,880 residences, 500,000 sq ft commercial) is only installing geothermal heat pumps. Besides saving energy, geothermal units are much quieter averaging 42 decibels (similar to a refrigerator) vs around 60 decibels for a conventional heat pump, providing a more enjoyable neighborhood.
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