CI-01-03-2 -- Impact of Design Simplicity on the Economics of Geothermal Heat Pumps

The rate of growth of geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) in the commercial and institutional building sector has been high in several regions of the U.S. and Canada. The first costs, the number of components requiring maintenance, and the operating costs can be significantly reduced when simple design approaches are incorporated. The results of these simple design approaches are compared to conventional HVAC system designs and a more traditional design approach for GHPs. In many cases the results generate both lower installation costs and lower operating costs compared to more complex GHP systems and equivalent conventional HVAC systems.

Units: Dual