Global Ductless HVAC System Market was valued US$ XX Mn in 2017 and is expected to reach US$ XX Mn by 2026 at a CAGR of XX% during the forecast period.

Global Ductless HVAC Market

Ductless HVAC is easy to install and consume low energy as such systems do not require duct for cooling process. This is estimated to drive the ductless HVAC system market during the forecast period. Ductless split systems also offer targeted cooling and heating comfort when conventional HVAC equipment is too costly to install. This system continues to gain importance during the forecast period owing to its various features like multiple heating and cooling stages and variable fan speeds. Furthermore, increasing environmental temperature and rising disposable income is projected to trigger the demand for ductless HVAC system. High initial cost of installment and negative effect on environment restrain the growth of ductless HVAC system market.

The split system is the widely used type of ductless HVAC system. The split system allows the operator to control the temperature of individual zones according to need, giving the user the flexibility of operation and savings in operating cost. These advantage of split system helps to increase the global ductless HVAC market. The major advantage of the split system is the low noise level of the system. In the split system, compressor and fan are kept in the outdoor unit so as to reduce the indoor noise level.

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Residential buildings include all kinds of residential structures like houses, town houses, cottages, condominiums, and apartments. In residential buildings, ductless HVAC systems are used for heating and cooling indoor air. Ductless systems use less energy as compared to ducted systems and are easy to install in residential buildings, and these factors drive the market for ductless HVAC systems in the residential building segment. The air conditioning capacity offered by the ductless HVAC systems is the added advantage for this application segment.

Faster-growing construction markets in the Asia-Pacific region and other emerging economies are the result of rising populations, rapid urbanization and strong economic growth. Mini split ductless HVAC systems are the most commonly used type in residential buildings as of their lower capacity and lower operating cost required in residential buildings.

The objective of the report is to present a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, industry-validated market data and projections with a suitable set of assumptions and methodology. The report also helps in understanding dynamics, structure by analyzing the market segments by type, End User and region and, project the global market size. The report also provides a clear representation of competitive analysis of key players by product, price, financial position, product portfolio, growth strategies, and regional presence in the Ductless HVAC System market. The report also provides PEST analysis, PORTERs analysis, SWOT analysis to address the question of shareholders in arranging the efforts and investment in the near future to a particular market segment.

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Scope of the Report for Global Ductless HVAC System Market

Global Ductless HVAC System Market, By Type

Split-System Heat Pump Chilled Water System Window Air Conditioners OthersGlobal Ductless HVAC System Market, By Application

Residential Commercial IndustrialGlobal Ductless HVAC System Market, By Region

North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa South AmericaKey players operating in Global Ductless HVAC System Market

Whirlpool Corporation Daikin Industries Ltd. Hitachi Ltd. LG Electronics United Technologies Corporation Johnson Controls Electrolux Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Trane Heating and Air Conditioning Services & Systems Eberspaecher MAHLE Hanon Systems Calsonic Kansei Keihin Sanden Valeo Subros Auto Air-conditioning Systems

MAJOR TOC OF THE REPORT

Chapter One: Ductless HVAC System Market Overview

Chapter Two: Manufacturers Profiles

Chapter Three: Global Ductless HVAC System Market Competition, by Players

Chapter Four: Global Ductless HVAC System Market Size by Regions

Chapter Five: North America Ductless HVAC System Revenue by Countries

Chapter Six: Europe Ductless HVAC System Revenue by Countries

Chapter Seven: Asia-Pacific Ductless HVAC System Revenue by Countries

Chapter Eight: South America Ductless HVAC System Revenue by Countries

Chapter Nine: Middle East and Africa Revenue Ductless HVAC System by Countries

Chapter Ten: Global Ductless HVAC System Market Segment by Type

Chapter Eleven: Global Ductless HVAC System Market Segment by Application

Chapter Twelve: Global Ductless HVAC System Market Size Forecast (2019-2026)

Browse Full Report with Facts and Figures of Ductless HVAC System Market Report at: https://www.maximizemarketresearch.com/market-report/global-ductless-hvac-system-market/28305/

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Global Ductless HVAC System Market -Industry Analysis and Forecast (2017-2026) - The Market Expedition

Using local energy sources such as lake water, wood waste or even garbage to heat and cool buildings is one way for communities to cut their greenhouse gas emissions the goal of this week's UN climate summit.

In district energy systems, instead of having an individual heating and cooling system for each building, multiple buildings are hooked up to a central system similar to how buildings are connected to the municipal water service instead of each one relying on individual wells. Heat is distributed to buildings via pipes that typically carry hot or chilled water.

It's an idea endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme, or UNEP,which calls district energy a "key measure for cities/countries that aim to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy or carbon neutral targets."

Once the distribution is set up, almost any energy source can be plugged in, depending on what's available locally and what will benefit the community.

Here's a look at what six communities across Canada have done.

Location: Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Technology: Waste-to-energy/biomass

Year: 1986

This system, run by Enwave Energy Corp, supplies 125 buildings, including Queen Elizabeth Hospital, with heat and also generates 1200 kW of electricity from burning "black bin" waste (garbage) and wood waste. The wood waste used to come from a sawmill, but that shut down so now the wood is from forestry and land clearing.

It was originally built to address a shortage of landfill space.

The local landfill doesn't have systems to collect methane, a powerful greenhouse gas produced by decomposing organic waste. So by sending garbage to be burned in this system, it both prevents the methane from going into the atmosphere (burning generates carbon dioxide, a less potent greenhouse gas, instead) and displaces natural gas that would otherwise be burned to generate electricity, says Carlyle Coutinho, president and chief operating officer for the Canadian region for Enwave Energy Corp.

Because P.E.I. relies heavily on power imported from New Brunswick, the availability of a local source of power and heat also makes the island more resilient in case of natural disasters.

The company plans toexpand to take more of the province's waste and generate more electricity.

Location: Toronto

Source: Deep lake water cooling

Year: 2004

Toronto sits on the edge of Lake Ontario, allowing this system, also run by Enwave Energy,to draw cold water from its depths to cool 85buildings in downtown Toronto, including hospitals, educational campuses, government buildings, commercial and residential buildings. In January 2019, the federal government announced an expansion to an additional two million square metres of floor space the equivalent of 40 to 50 buildings.

Coutinho says the system saves electricity that would have been used for air conditioning and water that would have evaporated from cooling towers.

He admits working in a built-up environment like Toronto, where distribution pipes need to be installed deeply in order to avoid other underground infrastructure and many buildings need to be retrofitted, is more difficult than installing in a new building. But the high density makes it easier to reach many customers.

Location: Okotoks, Alta.

Source: Solar thermal energy/borehole thermal energy storage

Year: 2007

Description: This was a federal pilot project designed to see whether a solar thermal heating system, which has been testing in milder climates in Europe, would work in Canada, which gets most of its sun during the summer, but requires a lot of heat during the long, dark winter months.

The system provides more than 90 per cent of space heating needs for 52 homes by collecting solar energy with solar-thermal panels on garage roofs and storing it underground during the summer. The heat is then distributed to homes during the winter.

Lucio Mesquita, senior engineer of solar thermal renewable heat and power group at Natural Resources Canada's CanmetENERGY group, says there was even one year when the system provided 100 per cent of the heat.

Because it requires very little electricity to run the pumps, it's also very resilient in case of extreme weather or natural disasters, he said.

All the infrastructure is underground and has a park on top of it.

Mequita says the pilot project shows this technology could work in any community in Canada, even in northern communities.

However, it's currently not cost competitive with traditional heating because of the low price of natural gas.

"The technology works. It can be competitive," he said. "But you need a scenario that helps with that."

Location: Rural Municipality of Ritchot, Man.

Technology:Geothermal

Year: 2011

Description: While the density of big cities is often required to make district energy projects cost effective, it can be installed in smaller communities, as this rural community of 5,000 shows. A district geothermal system connects an arena, a fire hall, a community centre with a daycare and banquet hall that can hold 500 people, and an ambulance garage.

It warms the buildings using heat from deep in the ground, which stays around 18 C even in winter.

The arena alone used to consume $40,000 a year in electricity to make ice. By using the geothermal system, it saves $15,000 a year and the quality of the ice is higher (less "chippy" during the shoulder season), allowing for a longer season, says Roger Perron, who was the economic development officer of Richot at the time the system was installed.

Perron, who is still president of the community centre, says the geothermal system also displaced two gas furnaces.

The muncipality needed a new community centre to replace its previous 70-year-old building anyway and managed to fund the initiative largely with government grants.

Perron says the key is convincing local governments to take on a project like this.

"I think it's doable in all communities."

Location: Teslin, Yukon

Technology: Biomass

Year: 2018

Description: This is a project of the Teslin Tlingit Council, a self-governing First Nation surrounded by boreal forest near the B.C.-Yukon border. It consists of several biomass boilers that burn low-grade waste wood products, such as sawdust, chips and leftover wood from cut trees, but also whole trees felled as a result of construction work.

It currently heats 18 buildings, including a school, an administration building, a cultural centre and some multi-residential buildings. Eight more will be added soon, says project manager Blair Hogan, president and CEO of Gunta Business Consulting.

The district energy system makes it possible to use biomass a locally produced renewable fuel that couldn't be used by individual households, Hogan says.

While it's not necessarily cheaper than the diesel boilers that heated buildings in the community before, that diesel was imported. The biomass system generates local jobs and keeps the money in the community.

Hogan says it's also an opportunity to make the community more resilientby removing wood that could put the community at risk in case of wildfires. The council plans to build a fire break by clearing more forest.

"This is kind of a proactive measure as well to protect our community."

Location: Vancouver

Source: Waste heat capture from sewage

Year: 2010

Description:

The system provides space heating and hot water to 36 buildings, or 5.4 million square feet of space, including the Science World Museum, Emily Carr University of Art and Design and at least 30 condominium buildings.

The goal is to provide 70 per cent of the energy from waste heat captured from sewage, with the rest being made up by renewable natural gas.

The sewage is warm because of all the hot water that goes down the drain from showers, dishwashing and laundry, says Alex Charpentier, acting manager of the False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility, owned by the City of Vancouver, which runs the system.

The heat is normally wasted, but a heat exchanger next to the sewage pumping station allows the utility to extract the heat and provide it to local buildings.

While a system like this is normally hard to install in a city that's already built, False Creek was a brownfield site redeveloped for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

The utility has since proposed a huge expansion that could quadruple its generation capacity and allow it to connect with more offices and a hospital.

See original here:
Solar? Geothermal? Garbage? 6 climate-friendly ways to heat and cool buildings - CBC.ca

A new drilling technology that is expected to enable ground-source heat pumps to be installed faster than traditional equipment while cutting costs has been granted funding.

Dandelion Energy claims its Sonic Drill Suite technology reduces the time it takes to install geothermal systems from up to one week to one day, with its research and development aiming to reduce the cost of drilling by up to 50%.

Its smaller design also enables installations at homes where traditional, larger drilling equipment cannot be used, expanding access to 25% more locations throughout New York and can help reduce costs for homeowners by 20%.

Ground-source heat pumps, or geothermal systems, operate by harnessing the Earths ground temperature as a heating and cooling source.

During the winter, heat is extracted from the ground through an underground pipe system and distributed throughout the building via a compressor and circulation pumps. The process is reversed during the summer and the cooler ground temperatures are tapped into.

The new technology was developed and tested by Dandelion as part of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authoritys (NYSERDA) challenge, which supports clean energy companies looking to develop, commercialise and demonstrate new technologies for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

The heating and cooling of buildings are currently responsible for around one third of the greenhouse gas emissions in New York State.

Co-Founder and CTO James Quazi said: Dandelion Energys mission is to make geothermal available and affordable for everyone. Our new Sonic Drill Suite expands access to cleaner, more affordable home heating and cooling. Thats good for our planet and our economy.

Weve focused on developing technology that lowers cost, increases speed, and reduces the size and disperses the weight of the drilling equipment so more people can access this vital clean technology.

Alicia Barton, President and CEO, NYSERDA, added: This new technology is a game-changer for the clean heating and cooling industry and will significantly help scale up the number of homes using geothermal systems, which is critical to meeting Governor Cuomos nation-leading clean energy goals.

We applaud forward-thinking companies such as Dandelion for bringing their cost-effective and innovative solutions to the marketplace, expanding consumer options and helping us reduce harmful emissions and stewarding the environment for generations to come.

Continued here:
New York backs tech that cuts installation time for ground-source heat pumps - Energy Live News - Energy Made Easy

The Massachusetts legislature is considering a bill that would allow utilities to buy geothermal energy instead of natural gas for heat and hot water. The Act for utility transition to using renewable energy (FUTURE) was proposed after a September 2018 explosion in the natural gas system in the Merrimack Valley in northeast Massachusetts.

At a Nov. 12 legislative committee meeting, proponents testified about a system that would use geothermal energy in neighborhood-scale district heating systems. A nonprofit organization is collaborating with utility companies to move ahead with whats being called the GeoMicroDistrict system.

Under a contract with Boston-based nonprofit Home Energy Efficiency Team, U.K.-based BuroHappold Engineering conducted a feasibility study for development of the GeoMicroDistrict system. The feasibility study concluded that the system re-purposes the existing public utility structure, financing, workforce and customer base to deliver safe, clean and affordable heating and cooling.

The GeoMicroDistrict system would be installed and operated using existing right-of-way, says Alexan Stulc, BuroHappold sustainability specialist. It would consist of vertical boreholes for the ground-source heat pump and an ambient water loop that would connect to a customers building. At the legislative hearing, gas utility Eversource described a geothermal network demonstration it has proposed to the state Dept. of Public Utilities to see whether the geothermal network loops could be used as an alternative or as an addition to the natural gas system, says Michael Goldman, director of regulatory, planning and evaluation for Eversource. It would run over the next three years.

The utility proposes to install the network loops in three distinct settings: multifamily buildings, dense urban or mixed-use, and purely residential. The system will use ground-source heat pump technology, which uses electricity to transfer heat from the ground to a network of hot water pipes, to provide heating, and potentially cooling, for the buildings within each district, BuroHappold officials say.

The rest is here:
Massachusetts Considers Replacing Gas With Geothermal | 2019-11-27 - Engineering News-Record

The town of Brookline, Massachusetts voted to ban gas and oil piping in future construction projects in hopes of reducing its carbon footprint, the Boston Globe reports. Brookline joins Berkeley, California and a handful of other cities in California as the first places in the U.S. to ban the use of fossil fuels to supply utilities like heat and cooking gas in new construction. Berkeleys ban only applies to new construction, while Brooklines also applies to substantial renovations closing a potential loophole.

Brookline and Berkeleys ordinances could signal a new trend in local climate action. To date, cities have mostly focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from generating electricity, but the votes in Berkeley and now Brookline show that the carbon footprints of heating and cooling buildings are receiving increased attention.

The numbers for the state of Massachusetts suggest this attention is warranted: commercial and residential buildings account for 24.5 percent of the states greenhouse gas emissions, while power plants are responsible for just 20 percent.

Tommy Vitolo, a Massachusetts state representative and Town Meeting member, told Boston.com that the decision that Brookline made...not only signals to our community that clean heating and cooling are possible and practical, but also shows residents and policymakers throughout the state, the nation, and the world that they can do it, too.

Despite local support for the new bylaw, it may prove a tough sell for the Northeastern U.S. more broadly. The regions cold winters and hot, humid summers, will make its transition away from natural gas and fuel oil more challenging than the comparatively temperate climes of California.

The electric heating pumps that would replace existing utilities are also costly to install and operate, especially compared to natural gas which is cheap, plentiful and can be easily installed even in old buildings. Natural gas industry groups offered up a federal estimate showing the cost of supplying the average Northeastern home with electric heating this winter would be $1,391 and just $712 for natural gas.

Steve Dodge, who leads the Massachusetts Petroleum Council, told E&E News, I understand their passion and the concern, but this is not the way to address it. This does nothing except cost Brookline property owners money and stifle new development. Dodge and others argue replacing dirty heating and fuel oils with biodiesels could offer another way of making the built environment less carbon intensive that doesnt upend existing infrastructure.

But supporters of the ban argue that natural gas short-term savings belie its true cost. Expanding and maintaining the regions gas distribution lines would cost billions, according to Greg Cunningham, who leads the energy and climate program at the Conservation Law Foundation. There are also safety considerations: a ruptured gas line exploded into flames in Massachusetts Merrimack Valley in 2018.

But undergirding this debate, and myriad others around the world, is the urgency of the climate crisis and the resistance to the systemic changes necessary to address it.

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Natural gas bans spread to East Coast - The Hill

Microsoft have registered a patent to try and help reduce the problem of overheating in their laptops; and possibly even their future foldable devices.

At this point the idea is only a patent and theres no indication that when or if well ever see this idea implemented in any of Microsofts devices.

The idea is an interesting one, though; it could see more manufacturers looking for innovative ways to reduce the heat thats generated by our laptops

PC cases have a lot more going for them when it comes to heat management. Without the need to be portable form is far less important than function. Added to that PCs have much more room to circulate air and install heatsinks and fans.

For a laptop the first and most important job of the designer is to fit it on your lap and in your laptop bag. As a result laptops are typically pretty poor at dealing with high temperature.

High-end gaming laptops are able to look at more advanced cooling solutions but these come at a cost. When you start looking at things like liquid cooling you sacrifice portability and start pushing the price up.

Also read Five ways to keep your laptop cool during summer

Designing an efficient laptop is not easy; theres only so much you can do with the space available in the base section of a laptop. Microsoft have clearly been applying their mind to this problem. The patent was unearthed by Mayank Parmar.

Microsofts patent looks to address this by implementing a vapor chamber which would run from the base of the laptop to the screen portion. This chamber will connect the base section with the screen section.

This could change the way manufacturers approach the idea of heat management. The screen and the base where the CPU and GPU are housed are generally thought of separately; the majority of cooling focuses on the heat generating base.

The idea of making use of the screen section to help dissipate the heat would give designers more space and materials to use to try and solve heating problems.

Microsoft notes in their patent that the screen section of a laptop may provide an effective surface area for passive heat transfer.

The proposed vapor chamber design is focused on providing efficient cooling without affecting the integrity of the laptop hinge it will need to cross. This is most likely why the vapor chamber is has been preferred to a heat conductive material.

If the solution proves successful Microsoft is likely to find applications for the patent in their foldable mobile devices as well as future headsets.

Also read Microsofts Cortana will soon read emails on Outlook for iOS and Android

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Microsoft patents solution to prevent laptops from overheating - The South African

The Nest Learning Thermostat and lower-cost Nest Thermostat E are both expected to get discounts for Black Friday 2019, but there are two other smart thermostats you should consider this year. And guess what: theyre both already on sale at their Black Friday prices! The ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control is ecobees flagship model, and its basically a Nest Learning Thermostat with a built-in Echo Dot. Thats right, you can use it to give Alexa voice commands! Its the single best-selling smart thermostat on Amazon and its down to $199, its lowest price yet. Or if you dont care about Alexa voice control, you can snag an ecobee3 lite Smart Thermostat instead for an all-time low of $139!

Follow @BGRDeals on Twitter to keep up with the latest and greatest deals we find around the web. Prices subject to change without notice. BGR may receive a commission on orders placed through this article.

Excerpt from:
The best-selling smart thermostat on Amazons whole site is down to its lowest price for Black Friday - BGR

Early wintry weather has brought a sense of urgency for many Vermonters to consider how to balance having a comfortable home with an affordable heating bill. Efficiency Vermonts 10 ways NOT to save energy this winter consumer guide takes a lighter approach to exploring this question, while providing serious energy efficiency advice to help Vermonters stay warm for less.

1. Wear your jacket to bed.

Your home shouldnt be the same temperature as your back yard. If it is, it might be time for weatherization. The last decade has seen dramatic improvements in how we insulate homes. We now know almost all Vermont homes can save money just by adding insulation and air sealing in crucial areas in the attic and basement and you wont have to wear your jacket to bed.

New incentives from Efficiency Vermont make comprehensive weatherization more affordable than ever. Most Vermonters are now eligible for 50% back on the cost of the project, up to $4,000. You can also pay for your project monthly with the Efficiency Vermont Home Energy Loan, which offers 0% interest financing.

2. Build an ice cave inside your home to store leftovers from Thanksgiving.

Your home shouldnt be cold enough to maintain an ice cave! In addition to weatherizing your home, look for an efficient refrigerator. Dont know where to start? Research the most efficient products on the market, compare prices and reviews with our online tool. Or, look for the Efficiency Vermont SMART CHOICE in stores. Products with this logo are the most energy-efficient products on the market and tested for the highest standards of quality and performance.

3. Sit in the dark every night.

Lights shouldnt cost you a fortune. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR LEDs, which can save you up to 90% for each bulb. LEDs are available in almost every size, shape and color (from warmer tones to brighter whites), so check out your local retailer to find the right bulbs for your home.

4. Build a blanket fort for you and your family to sleep in right next to the woodstove.

Blanket forts are tons of fun, but you should be able to sleep in your own bed and stay warm if your heating system is up to date and working. If your heater runs on oil, it should be maintained annually. A gas system and or heat pumps should be checked every two years. Keep dust and debris off the heat sources in your home to ensure that heat is getting to you. Clear off radiators, baseboard heaters, air vents and ducts and check that the heat flow isnt blocked.

5. Wear a wetsuit in the shower.

Water heating is a homes second-highest energy cost. If you feel like you need to take cold showers in the winter, it could be time to look into a new, more efficient model. Efficiency Vermont partners with local utilities to offer incentives on highly efficient heat-pump water heaters. These electric water heaters use the renewable electricity on Vermonts grid to keep your water warm efficiently.

6. Use the drafts blowing through your house as a natural hair dryer.

If your house feels windy inside, youve probably got some holes you can seal! For windows and doors that feel drafty, there are some cost-effective actions you can take before you consider buying new (which can be very expensive). You can replace individual panes that have cracked and replace the glaze on an old window. A simple bead of caulk or weather-stripping around windows and doors can keep warm air from escaping. Lock your windows to keep that seal tight. You can also install Low-E storm windows yourself for an added barrier.

7. Wrap old towels around your heating ducts.

Save your old towels for drying off your pets! You can keep heat in your ducts by sealing seams and joints. If your ducts are going through unheated spaces like attics or garages, add insulation on top of the seal to make sure the heat is going where its needed. An Efficiency Excellence Network member will look for these energy-saving opportunities as part of a comprehensive weatherization project. Or get $100 from Efficiency Vermont to DIY some projects yourself.

8. Make a bonfire out of your summer clothes with the desperate thought that it may never be warm again.

Summer will come around again soon enough, so dont panic! Instead, look into more-efficient heating options. Keep warm without breaking the bank with a heat pump heating and cooling system. Heat pumps are efficient electric heaters that double as an air conditioner and dehumidifier in the warmer months. You can pair incentives from Efficiency Vermont with offers from your local utility to increase your savings!

If a fire helps you feel toasty on cold nights, think about an efficient pellet stove. Instead of burning your swimsuits, pellet stoves use low-moisture, cleaner-burning, compacted wood. An Efficiency Vermont rebate can help reduce the upfront cost.

9. Invite yourself over to the neighbors every night.

Community gatherings are a great way to stay warm and active in the winter. But dont overstay your welcome just because your house is too cold! Consider a smart thermostat so that the house is warm when you need it to be. Smart thermostats learn your behavior and turn off when you leave the house, and warm it again when youre on your way home. Theyre adjustable from your smartphone and can even respond to the weather outside.

10. Hibernate until May

While its tempting to stuff yourself at Thanksgiving and then curl up like a bear until spring comes, its probably not feasible for you and your family. There are many ways to make your home more affordable, more comfortable and more resilient to the cold winter ahead. Explore our guides for more ideas and resources.

Efficiency Vermont is helping our state transition to a more affordable and cleaner future. Since 2000, Efficiency Vermont has brought Vermonters together to reduce the cost of energy. We work with our partners to provide incentives, technical advice, and efficient products to help customers save money, and lower carbon emissions. For more information, contact Efficiency Vermont at 888-921-5990 or visit http://www.efficiencyvermont.com.

The rest is here:
"10 ways NOT to save energy this winter" -- And what to do instead - Rutland Herald

The development is still in its early stages, completion is set for end of 2020 (Photo: Megan Hoegler)

High upfront costs have traditionally led developers to shy away from geothermal technology to heat and cool residential developments. But advancements in technology and a demand for sustainable building methods is recalibrating this way of thinking.

Technology is advancing, said Adel Esayed, dean of the Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies at Torontos George Brown College. As a result, customers want to see that reflected in their homes.

Birchcliff Urban Towns, a new townhouse development in Torontos east end, exemplifies that mindset change. The project includes 52 townhouse units in a U-shaped two-storey building thats tied together through a central courtyard. A geothermal system will heat and cool the development, which is currently under construction at Kingston Road and Birchcliff Avenue.

Theres been a big shift towards sustainability, so developers are starting to say Hey, this is something we can use as a marketing tool, said Lane Theriault, president of Subterra Renewables, a Toronto-based green energy supplier working on the Birchcliff Development. I can think of 100 or so buildings in the Golden Horseshoe that use geothermal and were built in the last 10 years.

Located at Kingston Road and Birchcliff Avenue, Urban Town Homes will be one of a handful of geothermal developments in the GTA. (Photo: Megan Hoegler)

Geothermal uses the ground as a source for transferring heat between the earth and the building. In doing so, Esayed noted, the geothermal systems use very little energy, reducing a buildings GHG emissions by up to 80 per cent.

It has a much lower operating cost than other systems, Esayed added. Geothermal heating pumps can save customers between 35 to 60 per cent on their heating and 25 to 50 per cent on cooling compared to a conventional heating and cooling system.

The greatest drawback is the steep installation cost. To install geothermal pipes, boreholes must be dug anywhere from 60 to 250 metres (200 to 800 feet) below ground. Depending on the size of the site, system size, accessibility and how much drilling is required, geothermal installation can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000.

What determines how deep you go is the cost of the drilling, Theriault said. What a lot of people dont understand is that the first part of the hole, the top layer, is actually the most expensive to dig through. Because thats where all of the clay and sand is, because its prone to caving, you have to case that part of the well.

It also requires a certain level of skill to install.

Sizing, design and installation of geothermal requires pro expertise for the most efficient system, Esayed said. Its still relatively new, so there are fewer installers and less competition, this is why installation prices for geothermal are still so high.

While it may be expensive to install, geothermal costs next to nothing to run. Once its installed, its basically free energy, Theriault said.

Conventional equipment is sort of the oppositecheap to install but very expensive to run, he added. They use a lot of energy, they break down a lot and youve got to replace them. With geo, once its in the ground, it sort of lasts forever.

According to Birchcliff Towns general contractor, John Wyman, there are currently 10 workers on site. He anticipates the build will need between 30 to 40 workers as it progresses into the later stages.

Cast-in-place concrete is being used for the below-grade portion of the building, including the underground parking lot, while crews are using conventional wood frame construction for the rest of the complex.

The development will be free of natural gas as well as rooftop heating and cooling units, eliminating a noisy eyesore, Theriault noted. Instead of rooftop heating and cooling units, each suite will have a mechanical box connected to a two-in-one heating and cooling pump.

Construction on the Birchcliff Development began in June 2019. The current completion timeline is set for the end of 2020.

Read the original:
Geothermal technology on the rise in residential developments - On-Site Magazine

If you were taking a walk down just about any street in any borough of Montreal on July 23 this year, when the temperature topped 26 Celsius (and the nighttime low was 25 C), you would have heard the buzzing and whirring of air conditioners cooling the homes on both sides of the street.

Some homes, mostly apartment buildings or the typical Montreal duplexes, werent built with the need for air conditioning in mind. In order to cool their homes, people typically install window air conditioners. Often with single-family homes, we see the addition of powerful central air-conditioning units.

The same applies to a quiet street in Ahuntsic, where the home of Damien Chaveron and his family is located. Lined with neatly manicured lawns and honey locust trees waving in the occasional warm breeze, one might find the area tranquil, but ordinary. That is until arriving at the Chaveron home.

From the outside, the house has noticeable differences from the other homes on the street. The most obvious difference on the modern facade is in the size of the windows facing the front yard. Also, if you look long enough, you might also notice there is no visible air conditioner.

Thats because the Chaveron home is a Passive House (Passivhaus). What does that mean? Put simply, it is an intelligently insulated airtight building with an excellent mechanical ventilation system that utilizes its location to use as little as one-tenth the energy of a standard house to heat and cool, according to Richard Price, president of Construction Le Tournesol, the company responsible for retrofitting the Chaveron home.

Its one of the first homes built to the Passive House standard in Canada and the first in Quebec. One could say its a pioneer in a growing movement across the country. As indicated by Passive House Canada, a national non-profit professional association promoting the Passive House high-performance building standard, the popularity of such homes has grown in the last five years. The figure has jumped from only about 20 or so as the concept was being introduced to 2,000 or more by 2017, with the production of multi-unit building complexes in Ontario.

The living room and dining room in the Chaveron familys Passive House.Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette

Upon entering the Chaveron familys open-concept home, there is a light and airy feel in spite of the small windows on the north side of the facade. Compensating well for the small windows, large windows on the south side of the house allow an abundance of natural light to pour in.

The large south-facing windows also help to utilize the warmth of the sun for heating in the winter. Given the ultra-efficient insulation in the windows and walls that creates an airtight building envelope and the natural warmth from the large south-facing windows, the only heating system required for the 2,800-square-foot home is a small, toaster-sized 240-volt heater and four baseboard heaters as supplementary heat when necessary.

A wall of exposed wood planks is seen in the living room of the Chaveron familys Passive House.Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette

Simplicity seems to be the key to making this home comfortable as well as beautiful, with the most immediately notable esthetic being a feature wall of exposed wood planks in the living room.

Theres a quiet stillness to the home with its lack of fans or loud air-conditioning unit forcing bursts of cool air through the space. Hardly noticeable in the ceilings are small, circular vents gently pushing air through a virtually silent ventilation system.

Retrofitted to be passive without air conditioning at first, the family had to add a small rooftop one recently because of the progressively hotter, more humid summers.

With nighttime temperatures remaining at 30 degrees Celsius, buildings dont have time to cool off. Therefore, even a house with such high standards (as the Chaveron family house) might need a small air conditioner, Price explained.

One thing that adds to the sensation of stillness are the walls, which Chaveron points out are roughly 24 inches thick, with 16 inches of that being insulation alone. Not only does it insulate for temperature, but it also insulates for sound.

Furthermore, windows with triple glazing help to regulate the inside temperature of the home. This is especially notable in the winter when the home is kept warm by retaining its own heat emitted from the household appliances and people in the home.

The warmth of the floor all year long, allowing us to stay bare foot, even in deep winter, is one of the highlights for Damien Chaveron of living in a Passive House.Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette

Even the floors remain warm throughout the winter. Incidentally, when Damien Chaveron was asked what his favourite features of the home were, he stated, among several things, the warmth of the floor all year long, allowing us to stay bare foot, even in deep winter.

When we think of eco-conscious homes, we often think of renewable energy or extremely efficient energy use. It isnt quite as common that we think of water consumption or water in a renewable way.

Damien Chaveron looks at underground rain collector for his Passive House.Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette

The Chaveron home, however, is equipped with what is known as a greywater system. In such a system, water is preserved from baths and showers that is piped to a surge tank. From the tank, it is piped into an irrigation system to be used for flushing toilets

Ecohome, a website dedicated to informing builders and homeowners about sustainable, long lasting and healthy homes, expounds on why this practice is not common in Canada. It explains that water, as a resource, is undervalued in Canada because its so easy to come by. Its underpriced in terms of what our utility companies charge us.

While the average person in a developing country will (use) about 20 to 30 litres of water per day, research shows that the average Canadian generates over 300 litres of waste water each day. This statistic makes Canadians one of the highest per-capita consumers of water on the planet, the website points out.

Damien Chaveron is seen in basement of his Passive House.Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette

Moreover, until residential greywater recycling systems offer Canadian consumers a noticeable return on their investment through savings in their utility bills, usage is unlikely to change unless we also start to feel the shortage.

Of course, if one thinks as Damien Chaveron does about the long-term benefits of such a system, maybe feeling the immediate effects of conservation isnt necessarily the point. In fact, it may be a long while before the family recoups the monetary cost of retrofitting their home (around $500,000) even with the very low utility bills of about $800 for the year. After all, perhaps its not only monetary benefits that count.

In terms of comfort, Chaveron clarifies, its worth the cost for my family. Living in this house is a real pleasure every single day. Never cold, never too humid nor too dry. Outstanding air quality. It goes clearly beyond our expectations.

The back facade of Chaveron familys Passive House.Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette

See more here:
Retrofit gives Ahunstic family the first Passive House in Quebec - Montreal Gazette