My partner, Ben in addition to I are harshly energy conscious. Every one of us either ride our bicycles or take public conveyance whenever possible. Every one of us recycle all glass, paper in addition to plastic, compost table scraps, in addition to collect rainwater to water the vegetable garden. When the two of us built our own house, optimizing energy efficiency was a top priority. Every one of us hoped to minimize our carbon footprint by constructing a smart, environmentally friendly home. Working with a licensed Heating, Ventilation & A/C corporation, the two of us designed a geothermal heating in addition to cooling system. The purchase price in addition to installation costs of the geothermal equipment was honestly expensive. Every one of us had to invest in major excavation of the backyard to implement the underground loop system. This loop plan takes advantage of the stable temperature of the earth all year round, in addition to conveys heat energy to in addition to from the house. It connects to an electric heat pump installed inside the house. Because the heat pump is protected from the wear in addition to tear of weather, it can be expected to provide reliable operation for upwards of twenty years. The ground loop plan should last a minimum of fifty years. The only energy drawn to run the plan is the small amount of electric consumed by the actual heat pump. The plan produces about numerous times more energy than it requires to operate. Ben in addition to I further invested in solar panels to power the system. It costs us virtually nothing to maintain ideal comfort throughout the year. We’ve reduced the cost of the geothermal heat pump in under more than two years. Plus, the two of us suppose we’re doing our part to protect the environment from greenhouse gas emissions.