Money makes the geothermal world go!

In over 30 years in this industry I've run into 2 clients that didn't make their decision to install a GCHP system based on economics. One client was a roofing contractors association that simply didn't want equipment mounted on the roof of their new building, and they determined that a GCHP system didn't need roof mounted heating and cooling units. For them the cost of the GHX was the price to pay for getting rid of roof mounted equipment. The other was...

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an Association of Municipalities who decided to install a GCHP system primarily to make a statement that their new building was going to be "green". Clients typically try to justify the additional cost, or perceived cost of installing a GCHP system by savings in energy cost. By working in an integrated design process, it is often possible to find creative methods of reducing the cost of the overall building. 

Considering things like: type of glazing, light specifications and controls, natural daylighting, heat or energy recovery from ventilation air, roof and wall construction, building orientation, type and configuration of GHX, hybrid options...can make a huge difference in the return on investment for an owner considering the installation of a GCHP system.