Different types of buildings can be very different in how much heating or cooling they need. An extreme example is a home and an ice arena. The refrigeration system in the arena must cool the ice year round, even in winter. Nearby homes, on the other hand, require heating all winter, at least in the northern U.S. and Canada. Heat taken from the ice arena can be transferred to the homes in a properly designed district geothermal system.
District Systems
Gibsons District Energy System, Gibsons, BC
Status: First phase complete
Brief description:
The Town of Gibsons, BC is working with developers and builders to construct an ambient temperature district geothermal system for a 750 home development. The Town is building and will own and operate a large ground heat exchanger (GHX) built on parkland and walkways within the community. Fluid circulating through the GHX will transfer energy between the homes and buildings
and the GHX.
Some buildings, such as a hockey arena, will reject heat to the GHX year round. The energy will be extracted by heat pumps in the homes. The warmer fluid will allow them to operate more efficiently.
A connection to the nearby ocean will absorb excess energy from the GHX in summer, and can add energy to the GHX in winter. The Town will invoice homeowners connected to the GHX much like any other utility. Because the Town is making the investment in the GHX infrastructure, the cost to a homeowner to install a geothermal system is virtually identical to the cost of installing a gas furnace and air conditioner.
Innovations:
- Horizontal slinky ground heat exchanger modules designed for expansion as the development expands
- Central pump house
- Home energy consumption metered as a utility
- Waste heat from ice arena to be rejected to ground heat exchanger