I just received a copy of your newspaper the GreenWorks Gazette and was really interested in the story about that school that uses geothermal heat. Is that something that's only available for schools and businesses, or can I get it in my home, too?

Geothermal heating/cooling systems are available for both commercial and residential use nationwide. These systems are great because, rather than creating their own heat, they simply move it. In the winter, they use the Earth as a heat source by transferring the warmer temperatures underground (or underwater) into your home using a series of pipes. In the summer, the same pipes can be used for cooling by using the ground as a heat sink.

Depending on the system, this can be a pretty cost-effective way of heating and cooling your home. Geothermal heating is incredibly energy efficient, using 25 to 50% less electricity that traditional heating systems. Additional benefits include quiet operation, low maintenance costs, and flexible retrofitting options.

Most geothermal systems also come with a device called a "desuperheater," which transfers excess heat from the compressor to your hot water tank. In the summer, this provides you with hot water for free; in the winter (when more heat is required), water heating costs are cut roughly in half.

You can learn some basic information about geothermal heat by watching a segment in our program about "Innovations" that focuses on the geothermal heating system at the new Environmental Education Center located in the Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum.

You can also find additional information, including links to manufacturers, on the government's Energy Star website at:
http://yosemite1.epa.gov/estar/consumers.nsf/content/ghp.htm

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