Ground source heat pump

From the change wiki

A ground source heat pump (GSHP) is a geothermal option for heating and cooling.

Basic principle: Use the temperature of the ground a few hundred meters deep. This is a very stable 16'C(...)( on average. The exact temperature can range from 7'C to 21'C depending on latitude[1] - but it does not change much with the seasons. ). The GSHP keeps the building cool during the summer, and keeps it warm during the winter.

Environmental & labor footprint of construction

Unknown [RESEARCH needed]

This section needs research:

  • How easy is it to retrofit existing buildings?
    • Single-detatched homes
    • Townhouses, mid-rise and high-rise buildings
    • Warehouses and other
  • How does this viability compare with new construction?
  • Life cycle analysis: How long does the thing last?

Energy usage

Low

It still takes some electricity to run a GSHP. Also, in the winter, you'll still need some additional heating(...)( Option: Maybe a non-geothermal heat pump could do the last bit of heating, installed in a way that the deep ground temperature serves as the "background" temperature? [RESEARCH needed] ) if you want your homethe building to be warmer than the deep ground temperature(...)( very likely in cold climates like Canada, since the deep ground temperature is lower too ). However, this is less energy than other heating/cooling options.

Geography

No problem / universal

Unlike other geothermal energy (which is only viable in a few parts of the world), ground source heat pumps work in almost any part of the world.

References

External links