Page 39 - 2011 SDCA Project

Chapter 7: Systems Recommendations

OFFICE / CLASSROOM AREA • Lower maintenance cost 7-1
• Possible tax credit
I. GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM - with HEAT RECOVERY VENTILATOR $$$$
Geothermal heat pump or ground source heat pump (GSHP) is a central heating and/ Disadvantages:
or cooling system that pumps water to or from the ground. It uses the earth as a heat • Installation cost may be higher when compared to a conventional system
source (in the winter) or a heat sink (in the summer). This design takes advantage of the
moderate temperatures in the ground to boost efficiency and reduce the operational III. SPLIT SYSTEM HEAT PUMP with Supplemental Heat - with HEAT RECOVERY Systems Recommendations
costs of heating and cooling systems. This design may be combined with solar heating VENTILATOR $$
to form a geo-solar system with even greater efficiency. The split air conditioning means that the condenser or “outdoor unit” is separated from
the “indoor unit”. Some models come with multiple indoor units that will use one single
Advantages: compressor; this is known as the multisplit air conditioning system. The heat pump
• Environmentally friendly may require additional electric heat to meet heating demand. For those systems where
• They use 25%–75% less electricity than conventional heating or cooling individual or simultaneous heating and cooling is required, separate split systems
systems should be considered.
• Geothermal heat pumps can reduce energy consumption—and corresponding
emissions—up to 44% compared to air-source heat pumps and up to 72% Advantages:
compared to electric resistance heating with standard air-conditioning • Heat pump produces 3kW of heat to 1 kW of electricity spent (an electric heater
equipment. gives you a 1 to 1 ratio)
• Improve humidity control by maintaining about 50% relative indoor humidity • Easy installation
• Quiet operation • Easy maintenance
• Low maintenance • Quiet operation
• Installation in new and retrofit situations • Heating
• Underground piping warranties of 25 to 50 years • Cost effective
• Heat pump life of 20 years • Simple control
• No outside compressors (no copper theft) • Commercially available in many sizes
• Excellent zone space conditioning
• Heating and cooling Disadvantages:
• Simple control • Multiple units required (interior and exterior)
• Commercially available in many sizes
Disadvantages:
• High up front cost
• Drilling required for underground piping
• Pipes may be difficult to repair if damaged

II. VARIABLE REFRIGERANT VOLUME (VRV)/VARIABLE REFRIGERANT FLOW
(VRF) SYSTEM with HEAT RECOVERY – with HEAT RECOVERY VENTILATOR
$$$
VRV or VRF is a commercially applied heating and cooling system that distributes
refrigerant, rather than water, to multiple ducted or un-ducted indoor units serving the
conditioned space.

Advantages:
• Energy efficient utilizing variable speed compressors
• 10 to 20 percent energy savings compared to conventional systems
• Individual control of multiple zones on one piping network
• Centralized piping network
• Heating and cooling simultaneously
• Tight temperature control, quiet indoor operation
• Control using multiple protocols
• High EER and COP values
Adams Park Conceptual Sustainability Study
Plans are conceptual and subject to change