Geothermal Power Used In British Columbia Residential Development
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Woodland Creek residential development located in Sooke, British Columbia is using geothermal technology for its award-winning homes. Ground source heat pumps were chosen for the new craftsman style homes because they can help save an estimated $1,100 annually. Geothermal typically costs about one-third or even less than baseboard heaters powered by electricity. Additionally, no exhaust venting is required with their particular kind of geothermal system, so their homes can be better insulated. Air quality is better too in these homes, because they have superior air filtration compared with homes using electric baseboard heaters.
If the annual savings is $1,100 compared to conventional heating and cooling, they pay for themselves in about 18 years. However, in the United States a home located in Montgomery County paid their system off in 4.4 years.
After the geothermal system is paid off, it continues to save money. (It also means getting off of fossil fuels.) Another benefit is that when we invest in renewable energy we help the whole of society shift toward the new and away from the old. We need to do this because of climate change and the fact that fossil fuels are time-limited. Extraction and transportation of fossil fuels can damage the environment severely as well.
There is another potential savings for British Columbia home buyers: cash back financing for homes with a certain energy rating, and Woodland Creek homes exceed this standard. They are also constructed to Built Green standards and use Energy Star appliances.
Totangi Properties manages Woodland Creek, and won Best New Subdivision (Woodland Creek, Sooke) at the 2012 CARE Awards. In the same year they also won Built Green Builder of the Year.
Considering the decreasing cost of solar power, it may not be that far in the future that solar panels provide all the electricity for such homes, in addition to their stable geothermal systems. British Colombia is a very appropriate location for environmentally sensitive housing due to its outstanding natural beauty.
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