Post Content

Ground source heat pump
Ground source heat pumps, or GHPs, harness the constant temperature beneath the earth’s crust (about 50-60° F) to sustainably heat and cool homes and buildings. Depending on the season, heat is transferred into or out of the ground via underground piping that carries refrigerant. Heat is absorbed from the ground and then circulated and expelled into a home in the winter with the help of a heat exchanger, or vice versa in the summer.
The world has been harnessing geothermal energy for thousands of years. Today, France, Turkey, New Zealand, the U.S., Japan, Italy and, especially, Iceland put these hot water pumps to various uses. The most common type of geothermal heating is called direct geothermal, and uses the system described above. Geothermal heating burns no fossil fuels, and creates little nitrous oxide and few sulfur gases. When installed in New England buildings that would otherwise use oil or propane fuels for heating, these systems can deliver tremendous energy cost savings. The Department of Energy Resources (DOER) is encouraging the use of these pumps to heat schools, low-income housing developments, and even homes.
DOER’s new collaborative program, SAPHIRE (“Schools and Public Housing Integrating Renewables and Efficiency”), combines energy efficiency improvements with innovative renewable thermal heating technologies such as geothermal, air source heat pumps, solar thermal, and woody biomass to promote more sustainable energy sources. At the same time, the program demonstrates how these technologies can deliver significant energy cost savings and provide comfortable living in state public housing and learning environments in schools.
The SAPHIRE program works with the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Massachusetts School Building Authority, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to help identify possible utility rebates, grants and low-interest financing to encourage more renewable thermal projects in Massachusetts communities.
For more information on how your school or state public housing can participate in SAPHIRE:
SAPHIRE Program – Renewable Heating and Energy Efficiency
For more info on ground source heat pump technologies:
Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs’ article on Geothermal Integration
U.S. Department of Energy’s page on Geothermal Heat Pumps
Tags: clean tech, geothermal, ground source, heat pump, renewable energy
Recent Posts
Massachusetts Named Most Energy Efficient State posted on Sep 28
Commonwealth Earns Top Mark on American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy Scorecard BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced the Commonwealth has been named the most energy efficient state in the nation by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) for the seventh consecutive …Continue Reading Massachusetts Named Most Energy Efficient State
Savings Milestone for LED Lighting at State Facilities posted on Jul 17

Light bulb swap out program has saved an estimated $5 million to date since 2012 Who knew that changing light bulbs could save millions of dollars? Well, that’s exactly what’s happened at 39 state colleges, universities and agencies that have installed more than 85,000 high …Continue Reading Savings Milestone for LED Lighting at State Facilities
Baker-Polito Administration Sets 200 Megawatt-Hour Energy Storage Target posted on Jul 10
In accordance with bipartisan energy diversification legislation signed by Governor Baker in August 2016, the Baker-Polito Administration announced a 200 Megawatt hour (MWh) energy storage target to be achieved by January 1, 2020. The target, set by the Department of Energy Resources (DOER), builds upon …Continue Reading Baker-Polito Administration Sets 200 Megawatt-Hour Energy Storage Target
2013