Energy Source Builder
Environs Combines Air and Ground Source Heat Pumps
Ground source heat pumps are very efficient and pay dividends over the long run, but higher installation costs may place them out of the price ranges of some home buyers. Much of the additional cost goes into the ground loop.
A new dual source heat pump, called Environs, promises to give ground source performance at air source prices. Based on a patented technology, the Environs combines a typical air source heat pump with a small ground loop. Vertical loops require only 20 feet per 12,000 Btuh. That cuts water pumping energy to less than 10 percent of a standard ground loop system.
Independent tests show the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) at 16.2. That is almost as good as ground loop heat pumps. Plus it maintains high efficiency even at high outdoor temperatures. The EER of some high efficiency air source machines drops dramatically during extremely hot weather. Environs has not yet been certified by the Amercian Refrigeration Institute (ARI).
The ground loops for the Environs can be installed after the outdoor unit. That allows quick replacement of a failed heat pump or a partial installation. However, all you have then is a medium efficiency heat pump.
The company says the installed cost should be $5,000 to $6,000, about the cost of a top line air source heat pump.
Contact: Energy Technologies, Inc.
(Editor's Note: Our last attempt to contact this company was unsuccesful, so we assume they have gone out of business.)
This article appeared in Energy Source Builder #38 April 1995 |
