Sustainability @ SU Holloway Hall  Sustainability Initiatives
Outdoor air temperatures fluctuate throughout the year with the
changing seasons. In contrast, ground temperatures about four to
six feet below the earth's surface remain relatively moderate
and constant all year. A geothermal system circulates an
environmentally friendly water-based solution through a buried
closed loop system to use the ground as a heat source or a heat
sink, depending on the season. Geothermal heat pump systems are
sometimes called "ground source", "earth-coupled" or "ground
exchange" technology.  Geothermal equipment has the ability to
heat and cool buildings, while providing domestic hot water at
the same time. Like a refrigerator or air conditioner, these
systems use a heat pump to force the transfer of heat from or
into the ground. Geothermal systems can save 30% to 70% on
monthly utility bills and operate solely on electricity. In
contrast, a traditional air-source heat pump transfers heat to-
and from the outside air and