Water Source Heat Pumps (Truly Cost Effective)

Water source heat pumps can be one of the most economical sources of energy management strategies available. They have the ability to provide a buildings heating and cooling requirements during spring and fall at a fraction of the cost. In a traditional building the interior offices also require cooling regardless of the outside conditions. This is due to the fact that interior offices are always developing heat from lights, people, computers, ect. Exterior offices require both heating and cooling depending on the time of year.

In some cases there can be a room with a solar load requiring cooling and a room facing north requiring heating at the same time. Wouldn't it be great to transfer energy from the room requiring cooling and add it to the room requiring heating? If this was done, the only energy required would be to transfer it from one room to another, which could be done with a series of water source heat pumps capable of providing both heating and cooling (adding or subtracting heat to a water piping system).

Typical water source heat pumps require approximately 1/3 the energy to produce heat rather than electricity, so we can see how this would be of extreme advantage. Now, if we had a constant source, as in a geothermal field, we could provide both heating and cooling all year round at a fraction of the cost.

The only downfall is that the machines necessary require higher maintenance and capital expenditures. On the postive side, they help to create more jobs and contribute to preserving the environment. With this in mind it makes practical sense to utilize them and get us one more step closer to an eco-friendly earth.