Geothermal energy is energy converted from the earth's internal heat. Resembling the ambiance of an in ground basement or an igloo, the earth maintains a constant temperature making it cool compared to hot summer air and warm compared to chilly winter winds. The earth generally has a temperature of 52% fahrenheit ten feet below the surface. Engineers used this information to design geothermal heat pumps. Geothermal heat pumps push a liquid antifreeze through pipes running through the building. Each time the antifreeze passes through the pipes below ground, it is regulated to the standard 52%, so when it is pushed back up through the pipes running through the building it either releases or absorbs heat to gain equilibrium with it’s surrounding environment. For example, to heat a room with a geothermal heat pump, antifreeze liquid is sent through pipes into the “ten foot zone” where temperature remains constant. The liquid is heated until it has an equal temperature with the earth. Then the antifreeze is pushed back up into the building where it releases heat to once again find equilibrium. The process is reversed for cooling a building. NCC has a closed-loop geothermal heat pump, meaning the same materials are reused and passed through a continuous loop of pipes. By having this effective heating system, NCC achieves comfortable temperatures while creating little to no pollution.

 

"Geothermal Heat Pumps." Energy.gov. U.S. Department of Energy, 24 June 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.