Located just feet below the Earth’s surface is a renewable and consistent source of heat known as geothermal energy. At a depth of approximately six feet, for example, soil temperature in most of the world’s regions is stable between 45 – 58 degrees Fahrenheit. Johnson Controls offers geothermal energy solutions that allow you to tap into this natural energy source for use in heating and cooling systems.

With geothermal systems, there is often no need for traditional mechanical heating or cooling. Instead, ground-source heat pumps take advantage of the earth’s natural heating or cooling through a series of pipes, called loops, installed below ground or submersed in a pond or lake. Fluid in the loop is pumped into the building, where it is compressed by a heat exchanger and released at a higher temperature. In summer this process is reversed, removing heat from the building to cool the facility.

Unlike conventional heat pumps, it is much easier for the geothermal heat pump system to capture heat from soil of a moderate temperature than from the frigid air outside in winter. Conversely, in summer, the relatively cool ground absorbs waste heat more readily than warm outdoor air.