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Case Studies
Hotels and motels in North America have traditionally
used dedicated heating and cooling systems, such as
packaged terminal heat pumps and air conditioners (PTHPs
and PTACs), to provide independent control to each
room. Another option frequently considered in hotels
is the distributed water loop heat pump system, where
individual water source heat pumps on a common water
loop serve each room and a boiler and cooling tower
add or reject heat to or from the loop as required.
The water loop concept offers the benefit of more efficient
heat pump operation but with the addition of a central
plant. A geothermal heat pump system simplifies the
water loop heat pump system by eliminating the cooling
tower and boiler, thereby reducing maintenance costs,
minimizing the floor space equirements for the central
plant room, and further improving system efficiency.
All heat is rejected to or absorbed from the ground
loop heat exchanger.
The Cambria County Prison, completed in
1997, is located in a mountainous area of Western
Pennsylvania. The extreme temperature range from 10
degrees below zero during the winter to 95 degrees
during the summer. The initial HVAC option was an
electric chiller and a gas boiler with a variable air
volume (VAV) air distribution system. GPU Energy,
the electric utility, suggested that the county consider
a
GeoExchange (geothermal heating and cooling)
system for the new prison.
When the Roberson Museum and Science
Center in Binghamton, New York planned to expand
its astronomical observatory in nearby Vestal, the
heating and cooling options were limited. Natural gas
was not available at the remote site. Although
electricity heated the original building, and portable
air
conditioners cooled it, the Museum wanted to make the
new facility more energy efficient. Consequently, a
GeoExchange (geothermal) system was selected to
heat and cool the new building, and to replace the
electric resistance heating system in the old building.
The Paragon Centre, an 80,000-sq.-ft. Office
condominium in Allentown, Pa., represents a showcase
of innovative energy-efficient technologies. It’s
the
largest commercial office project in the region to
employ a GeoExchange system for space conditioning.
Completed in January 1994, the four-story complex
also incorporates such energy-saving strategies as
variable-speed pump drives, exhaust air/heat recovery,
occupancy sensors to control lighting, and low
emissivity windows. Saved energy translates into
lower operating costs and diminished emissions, aiding
the environment.
Salem Community College, a state supported
college in Carney’s Point,
New Jersey, anticipates savings to
exceed $60,000 in annual energy
costs with the installation of two
large geothermal (also known as
GeoExchange) systems. In addition
to the economic and environmental
investment of these comfort
systems, the installation provided
hands-on training experience for
students enrolled in the college’s 2-
year Heating, Ventilation and Air
Conditioning (HVAC) Mechanics
course of instruction.
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