What does a looming housing shortage, a significant increase in energy prices and 52% of home buyers ready to heat and cool their homes with electricity have in common? They’re all remedied in the same way: All-geothermal residential developments.

An installer is asked to connect a single speed geothermal water-to-water heat pump to a highly-zoned low temperature hydronic distribution system.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, more than half (51%) of the energy used in U.S. homes is directly spent on just two end uses, heating and air-conditioning. As such, producing a comfortable temperature within your living space creates one of the biggest carbon footprints of our modern living environment.

In order to achieve a more environmentally friendly footprint for its new education and research campus in Narre Warren, Australia, IAPMO and the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC) chose one technology rooted quite literally in the earth.

The state-of-the-art facility houses IAPMO R&T’s Oceana research center and product testing laboratory.

Every three years the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials publishes a revised and updated version of its signature codes — the Uniform Plumbing Code and the Uniform Mechanical Code. 

Water-to-water heat pumps supplied from closed earth loops are ideal heat sources for low-temperature hydronic floor-heating systems.

Bruce Cole holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from Purdue University.