THE
COOL EARTH
PROJECT
IS THIS THE FUTURE OF MORE EFFICIENT
HOME HEATING AND COOLING? LET’S FIND OUT.
AT CRAIGIE
WHAT IS
COOL EARTH?
We created the Cool Earth project to assess the
effectiveness of a geoexchange system against
traditional heating and cooling technology in Western
Australia’s unique environment.
We have built two homes, side by side, in a typical
urban setting – one with the new technology and
one without. This way, we can test the difference and
measure the effectiveness of the technology, over a
two year period. It’s one of our ‘Design, Sustainability
and Innovation’ initiatives.
LandCorp is working with a number of partners to
bring this project to fruition:
- The ABN Group has built the two houses through
Celebration Homes;
- GeoExchange Australia has designed the
geoexchange system and provided the heat
pump unit;
- Carbonomics has contributed to the design of the
geoexchange system and monitoring program; and
- The University of WA has contributed to the design
of the monitoring program and is responsible for the
analysis and reporting of results.
Results will be available throughout the trial period via
landcorp.com.au/coolearth
3
HOW DOES THE
GEOEXCHANGE SYSTEM WORK?
Essentially, it’s the same as a reverse cycle
air-conditioner, except instead of air, it uses
ground water and the earth as the ‘heat
sink’ (to remove the heat) or as the ‘heat
source’ (to provide the heat).
Outdoor temperatures fluctuate widely with
the changing seasons, but temperatures
In winter the reverse occurs with heat
sourced from the ground and supplied
to the building. The geoexchange system
capitalises on these constant ground
temperatures to provide “free” energy.
The system is made up of
three components:
below ground remain relatively constant
1. ‘Open loop’ ground-water bore;
year-round at about 20˚C. During the
2.Heat pump unit; and
warmer months, heat is removed from the
3.Air delivery system, which is simply
ducting in the roof space of the home.
building and transferred to the ground.
WINTER
/ COLD
GROUNDWATER
‘Open Loop’ Geoexchange System
SUMMER
/ HOT
GROUNDWATER
WHAT MAKES A
GEOEXCHANGE SYSTEM
DIFFERENT FROM STANDARD
AIR-CONDITIONING UNITS?
Compared to standard air-conditioning, geoexchange systems
do not require as much electricity to heat and cool the home;
they simply transfer heat to and from the earth to provide
a more affordable and environmentally friendly method of
thermal comfort.
5
WHERE WILL
COOL EARTH
TAKE PLACE?
INDICATIVE FLOORPLAN OF THE TWO HOMES
BED 3
BED 4
ALFRESCO
ROBE
ROBE
WC
FAMILY
BATH
DINING
BED 2
ROBE
The two homes have been
built by Celebration Homes
side by side at The Vive,
Craigie - prime land located
on the former Craigie
High School site, just three
kilometres from the coast.
The lots are representative
of typical homes in the Perth
metropolitan area (in terms
of size and price) and will be
sold as completed homes for
residential use.
KITCHEN
CINEMA
FR
LINEN
PANTRY
LDRY
WC
WM
ENS
WIR
GARAGE
ENTRY
BED 1
PORCH
FRONT ELEVATION OF THE TWO HOUSES
BUILT BY CELEBRATION HOMES
Artist impression. Indicative only.
ARE THERE
OTHER
BENEFITS?
Yes. The system uses less energy
and is therefore more efficient
than conventional systems.
It’s estimated it can potentially
reduce heating and cooling
bills by as much as half. As for
looking after the system, the
heat pump and ground loop are
practically maintenance free and
have a life expectancy of up to
20 years. Additionally, it can be
used to run a domestic hot water
system to provide less expensive
water heating, and provide
a source of water for garden
irrigation. The system is also very
quiet, reliable and safe to run.
IS THIS THE
FUTURE OF
HEATING AND
COOLING FOR
OUR HOMES?
This kind of technology is already
being used around the world,
generally for heating in cold climates,
but it’s possible it could also be a
more efficient, cost-effective and
environmentally-friendly way for West
Australians to keep cool in summer
and warm in winter.
Our direct comparison of the two
homes will provide even more
information about how systems like
this perform in a real life setting.
LandCorp is committed to initiatives
like these to help find better solutions
for WA homeowners, businesses
and reduce our impact on the
environment.
7
WORKING TOGETHER.
The Cool Earth demonstration home project is being undertaken
in partnership with The ABN Group, GeoExchange Australia,
The University of Western Australia and Carbonomics.
For more information on this project, visit landcorp.com.au/coolearth
Disclaimer: The information contained in this document is in good faith; however neither LandCorp nor any of its directors, agents or employees give any warranty of accuracy
nor accepts any liability as result of a reliance upon the information, advice, statement or opinion contained in this document. This disclaimer is subject to any contrary legislative
provisions. © LandCorp 2016. LC 4089 04/2016
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