Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Heat Pumps

Almost everywhere in the world, the 10 feet of earth just below the surface has a constant temperature around 50 to 60°F. Geothermal heat pumps utilize this shallow ground energy for heating and cooling buildings.

	The geothermal heat pump system includes underground piping filled with liquid buried in shallow earth near the building. There is also a heat exchanger and the ductwork to connect it all together.
	In the winter, when the air temperature is lower than the ground temperature, the system draws heat from the ground into the building.
	In the summer, when the air temperature is higher than the ground temperature, the system uses the ground to help dissipate heat from the building. The system pulls the hot air from the building underground to a relatively cooler temperature. Some systems even use the extra heat to deliver hot water back to the building.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky has one of the largest geothermal heat pump systems in the world.