THE COOL EARTH PROJECT

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1 THE COOL EARTH PROJECT IS THIS THE FUTURE OF MORE EFFICIENT HOME HEATING AND COOLING? LET S FIND OUT. AT CRAIGIE

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3 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

4 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 below ground remain relatively constant year-round at about 20 C. During the warmer months, heat is removed from the building and transferred to the ground. 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: 1. Open loop ground-water bore; 2. Heat pump unit; and 3. Air delivery system, which is simply ducting in the roof space of the home. WINTER / COLD SUMMER / HOT GROUNDWATER Open Loop Geoexchange System GROUNDWATER

5 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

6 WHERE WILL INDICATIVE FLOORPLAN OF THE TWO HOMES COOL EARTH ALFRESCO BED 4 BED 3 TAKE PLACE? ROBE ROBE WC FAMILY BATH 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. FR LINEN LDRY DINING KITCHEN PANTRY ROBE BED 2 CINEMA WM WC WIR ENS GARAGE ENTRY BED 1 PORCH

7 FRONT ELEVATION OF THE TWO HOUSES BUILT BY CELEBRATION HOMES IS THIS THE Artist impression. Indicative only. ARE THERE OTHER BENEFITS? FUTURE OF HEATING AND COOLING FOR OUR HOMES? 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. 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

8 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 LC /2016 EcoStar is an environmentally responsible 100% recycled paper made from 100% postconsumer waste that is FSC CoC certified and bleached chlorine free (PCF). The mill operates under the ISO Environmental Management System which guarantees continuous improvement and is PEFC certified for traceability.