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With growing awareness of the impact we are having on our environment, we start to look for ways we can do our part in protecting the planet. As of 2013, the federal government announced plans to double the reliance of the United States on renewable energy by 2020. This growing trend has resulted in many changes in HVAC technologies, including looking for green heating and cooling methods.

  1. Geothermal Heat Pump

A geothermal heat pump is a heating and cooling system that transfers heat to and from the ground. Despite seasonal temperature extremes, a few feet down (depending on the geographical location), the ground temperature remains relatively constant. So, in the winter, the ground temperature is warmer than the air and in the summer, it’s cooler. The geothermal heat pump uses a ground heat exchanger to heat or cool water or air before pumping it back into your home.

  1. Controlled Hot Water Recirculation System

Controlled hot water recirculation systems incorporate a small pump that connects to the hot and cold water lines at one of the home’s fixtures. The pump can be activated by using a starter button or a motion sensor. Hot water is circulated by the pump from the hot water heater and cooled water is returned to the heater. When the hot water gets to the faucet, the pump shuts off automatically.

  1. Thermally-Driven Air Conditioning

These air conditioning systems use a process of evaporation of fluids like water at low pressure to remove heat from the environment, which is energy efficient as well as environmentally friendly. Air conditioners driven by thermal energy can be a good alternative to the traditional electric air conditioners, especially when the thermally driven air conditioners are driven by solar thermal energy or waste heat sources.

  1. Ice Powered Air Conditioning

This system uses ice as the medium to cool a refrigerant. Instead of using a compressor, the cold temperature of  the ice is used to cool the refrigerant back into a liquid state.  Ice powered air conditioning technology can be used  to convert preexisting refrigerant-based HVAC equipment into a thermal energy storage system, which was difficult to accomplish with older water chill technology. In climates where daytime temperatures and off peak temperatures are significantly different, this type of air conditioning unit is more energy efficient than the traditional air conditioning unit that uses electricity.

  1. Energy Analysis Software

This cutting edge software concept allows consumers to monitor energy consumption throughout the home. Smart devices powered with energy analysis software can be used to predict and analyze the cost of operating any device that uses electricity.  The energy requirements of major appliances, HVAC equipment, outdoor lighting and hot water pumps are collected and displayed either on your computer or smart device.  Over time, the capabilities of these devices allow us to gain valuable insights into how our changing habits influence energy consumption.  We can also identify the need for home maintenance and repairs by evaluating unexpected increases in consumption, before we notice larger bills from the utility companies.

For more information on green heating and cooling options for you home, contact the HVAC professionals at ADA Heating & Air. Proudly serving Danville, Nicholasville, Versailles, Lexington, Harrodsburg, Stanford, Winchester, Lancaster and the surrounding areas, we provide free in-home estimates on all new equipment sales. Call us today.

By | 2017-08-02T01:20:31+00:00 February 28th, 2017|Uncategorized|Comments Off on 5 Green Heating and Cooling Technologies

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