Geothermal: Environmental Safety

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) concluded that geothermal energy is the most environmentally-friendly way to heat and cool your home. The most important thing to remember when thinking about either efficiency or the environment is that geothermal systems don't create energy – they move the energy that is already there. This means that geothermal systems emit no carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or other greenhouse gasses that can be harmful to the environment and your family. We know your first priority is to keep your home and family safe and comfortable – now you can do that as well as helping the environment. Geothermal units are truly a natural green way of life, especially when you consider that installing one unit is like planting 750 trees or taking two cars off the road completely.

Net Zero Homes

Wouldn't it be great if your home was not only efficient, but created as much energy as it needed to operate? A "Net Zero Home" or "Zero Energy Home" (ZEH) combines energy-efficient construction and appliances with on-site power generation from solar or wind technology to provide as much power as it uses on an annual basis.

Zero Energy Homes have a number of advantages:

• Improved comfort—an energy-efficient building envelope reduces temperature fluctuations.
• Reliability—a ZEH can be designed to continue functioning even during blackouts.
• Security—a home that produces energy protects its owner from fluctuations in energy prices.
• Environmental sustainability—a ZEH saves energy and reduces pollution.

A geothermal system is one of the best ways to help achieve net zero status. Two-thirds of the average home's energy bills come from heating, cooling and hot water. That means the biggest potential for energy reduction is from your furnace, air conditioner and hot water heater. A single unit can replace all three and provide dramatically increased efficiencies. In fact, a geothermal unit reduces bills more than any other heating and cooling solution because it leverages the stored solar heat in the ground. A unit can provide 4 dollars of heat for every dollar spent on electricity!

By minimizing utility bills or even creating the potential for the home to make money by selling excess electricity back to the utility, zero energy homes offer a new direction for housing in America. It is a win for the homeowner, for the environment, and for a new generation of builders who will be able to construct houses that better meet future energy challenges.

Contact your local geothermal distributor to see how your home can become a net zero home!