For that reason, they can be 2 to 3 times more energy-efficient than typical electric heating units.

What is a Geothermal Heat Pump

A geothermal heat pump is a central heating and/or cooling system that pumps heat to/or from the soil. It uses the earth as a heat source (in the winter) or a heat sink (in the summer months).

The geothermal pump systems are between the most energy efficient systems for providing HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) and water heating.

The installation rates are higher than normal systems (approximately $45,000 reduced by 30 per cent with government tax credit), but the difference is normally returned in energy savings in three to ten years.

How Does it Work?

The Gerald McClain’s geothermal system is based on:

• 6 one inch diameter pipes sunk 3 hundred feet into the soft red clay below his home
• A water antifreeze mix in the pipes that picks up the ground’s constant 62 degree F. temperature
• 3 heat pumps in the attic that use a small electric powered compressor to heat or cool the home

The energy for the pumps costs around $100 a month, much less than the common heating and cooling monthly bill in the area.

Additional Benefits

A well controlled heat pump system not only will help you save electricity, but will also blow dust out of the house, improving interior air quality.

Indoor dust can pose health dangers, especially to young kids. New studies (As published in the epa.gov site in Sept 09) indicates that indoor dust is highly contaminated by persistent and endocrine disrupting substances (such as poly-chlorinated biphenyls).

Heat pumps get energy productivity by transferring heat around as opposed to liberating it. This is not to say there is no air movement with a heat pump, but the heat exchange lowers that process. So does the lack of a cold-cycle as it exists in many conventional air conditioners, which also acts to blow dust through the house.

About The Author: Lorie Wampler publishes articles for the heat pumps reviews blog. It’s a non profit blog centered on her personal knowledge with hvac to cut down energy usage and improve indoor air quality. With this she would like to increase the interest on eco-friendly tips for the home and change the general public perception of energy efficiency.

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC),¹ LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.²

By going green with LEED certification, there are both environmental and financial benefits. LEED certification helps to: lower operating costs and increase asset value, reduce waste sent to landfills, conserve energy and water, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives in hundreds of cities.

What is LEED?

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). It is a building rating system created under the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to ensure greater environmentally and socially responsible action by encouraging the construction of green buildings. LEED provides building owners and operators with a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. It is an internationally recognized building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most.

These metrics include: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Obtaining LEED certification brings many financial and environmental rewards. For example, LEED certification lowers operating costs, increases asset value, allows for qualification of tax rebates, zoning allowances and other financial incentives. Environmentally, LEED certification helps conserve energy, reduce harmful greenhouse emissions, minimize waste sent to landfills and shows your commitment to environmental sustainability.

What does it take to get LEED certified?

The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED building rating system is flexible with all types of commercial and residential buildings. Eligibility for LEED qualification consists of following a LEED Rating System Checklist that contributes to your specific project tally point total. Once all tally project prerequisites exceed the minimum number of points necessary to meet the Certified Level, LEED certification is granted. LEED applies to the entire building lifecycle – design and construction, operations and maintenance, tenant fit out, and significant retrofit. LEED for Neighborhood Development extends the benefits of LEED beyond the building footprint into the neighborhood it serves.

LEED levels and classes

When it comes to LEED classes, there are four. In LEED 2009 the threshold levels for LEED certification are:

Certified: 40 – 49 Points
Silver: 50 – 59 Points
Gold: 60 – 79 Points
Platinum: 80 or more Points

The LEED certification rating process is explained in complete detail in the Reference Guides issued for each of the LEED rating systems as well as on line at www.usgbc.org.

Minimizing your LEED certification costs

The cost of LEED certification depends on a variety of factors, including the type of certification desired, the project demographics and characteristics, grant availability and the experience of the LEED design team. Another important factor that can save you money is selecting the right stage of the design process to seek LEED certification. Universal Modular Building Solutions works hard to ensure costs are minimized while maintaining quality.

Conclusion

There are many benefits available to you when you build green. You can save both time and money by acting now. Universal Modular is able and willing to help you with LEED certification. As the US Green Building Council and the LEED building rating system continues to evolve, we encourage you to visit www.usgbc.org/ and www.gbci.org regularly to obtain the latest information on the LEED family of rating systems.

Italian architect Dr. David Fisher announced the launch of a revolutionary skyscraper to be built in Dubai titled as the "World’s First Building in Motion.” ¹ This soon to be 1,380 foot (a quarter mile) high skyscraper is planned to first open in 2010 in Dubai with additional Dynamic Towers planned for Moscow, New York City and other cities around the world. Fisher’s rotating creation has more to it than what initially meets the eye. Not only will the 80-story movable building constantly overlook the changing views of the Persian Gulf and Dubai’s futuristic skyline, but it will also be entirely self-sustainable and very eco friendly. In order to remain environmentally conscious and financially efficient, Fisher will utilize the very best in modular building technology.

Each floor will be prefabricated in a state-of-the-art factory and then shipped to the site to be attached to the building’s core. By using such sophisticated technology, Fisher’s assembling of the quarter-mile high skyscraper will require only 80 technicians and take only 20 months, saving tens of millions of dollars. With Dubai’s unique implementation of modular building construction, modular technology has proven that it is entirely advantageous and that it is the future of building construction. Growth has been substantial within this last decade and a new “modular revolution” has sparked interest not only as an alternative but as an international trend. The modular building industry has been growing fast. According to Tom Hardiman, executive director of the Modular Building Institute, the trade organization for the commercial modular industry, commercial modular construction is a $5 billion a-year industry with permanent modular structures making up approximately $2 billion of that annual number. ²

Advantages

Modular building construction is now universally accepted as being the fastest, most cost-effective method of construction with the least liability and waste. The modular building industry is usually thought of as being divided into two segments: temporary modular structures and permanent modular structures. Temporary modular structures have been around for decades. They are the typical rectangle, re-locatable structures you have probably seen either at construction sites or on school grounds. They include buildings such as construction trailers, mobile classrooms, movable offices and other portable structures for short term use. On the contrary, permanent modular structures encompass a variety of categories.

They too, however, are segmented into two groups: commercial modular and residential modular. Commercial modular buildings include: government, military, correctional, healthcare, medical and private business while residential modular are mostly comprised of pre-fabricated and custom-designed houses and housing complexes. When comparing modular interfaces with conventional construction, it is quite clear that when going modular – the advantages simply outweigh the disadvantages many times over. There are a number of very important advantages modular has over conventional methods. Some of these advantages include:

Cash Savings

Modular construction controls cost by economizing on time, wages, materials and the environment.  Assembly line efficiencies combined with pre-fabricated materials allow for the production of a high quality product at a lower bottom line cost. The actual dollars spent for the building may be the same or slightly less than site built construction. However the cost advantage usually will come in the form of time because “time is money”. When contracting with Universal Modular Inc., contractors will save money through reduced material and labor costs, unnecessary project delays and a faster a construction time.

Time Savings

One of the most important factors of construction is meeting deadlines. Where time is money, modular construction proves to be the preferred method of choice. Tom Hardiman, executive director of the Modular Building Institute, suggests that customers experience an average time savings of 20 to 40 percent when using modular construction over conventional methods.³  As project sites are completed much faster, contractors save time and money through: reduction of interest payments, expedient design-build processes, simultaneous site construction, and faster reaction to market demand.

Controlled Environment

Roughly 70-88% of modular construction is produced in a controlled, in-house factory environment. This eliminates unnecessary anxiety and costs contributed to poor weather conditions and time delays. Once completed, pre-fabricated materials are shipped on trucks and then assembled at the site of construction.

Function and Aesthetics

Universal Modular Inc. believes that every modular building should incorporate good design and functionality. Modular designs have come a long way. By working with architects, engineers and management, Universal Modular Inc., can leverage high quality aesthetic design and functionality at an affordable price.

Safety and Security

While working in construction, everyone knows that safety and security is of the upmost importance. Modular construction greatly reduces worker liability concerns through in-house pre-fabrication and installment of construction materials. At Universal Modular Inc., the process is made simple – contractors tell us what they need and we work together to exceeding their expectations in a safe and reliable process.

Conclusion

By reviewing the advantages of modular construction, it is clear that modular construction is not only financially, timely, and ecologically logical – it is the future. Looking back, commercial modular buildings have come a long way just within these past 20 years. In the 1980’s, it was very difficult to find a crane to lift over 100 tons for structural lifting and shipping. Today, the only true limit for modular is the imagination of man. In just 20 months time, the world will soon see the first rotating skyscraper completed through the application of the latest technology in modular building construction. A story from science fiction or a modular revolution? You decide. Let Universal Modular Building Solutions, Inc., give you a free modular building quote today!