Is Geothermal energy the next big efficiency drive?
As public pressure grows for property owners to reduce their carbon footprint, attention has shifted to renewable energy, especially solar and wind power, with some moving toward complete electrification. In that context, another renewable energy source – the geothermal ground source system is emerging. It reduces fossil fuel use by using electricity very efficiently.
Facility managers should know how to explore its potential and assess its cost-effectiveness.
A geothermal ground source system conveys thermal energy in the subsurface ground. That energy can be accessed from larger lot areas to provide efficient heating and cooling for nearby buildings. For individual properties, a geothermal ground source system works as follows: a series of pipes called a heat exchanger are buried in shallow or deeper ground near a building or in vertical wells. It circulates fluid to the building’s heat pump system, which provides heated or cooled air, water, or refrigerant for the building. In winter the heat pump extracts heat from the ground, while in summer the reverse occurs: the pump moves heat from the building into the ground.
When heating is needed, water is pumped through a series of underground pipes located externally to the house and absorbs heat from the ground. The system’s compressor pumps refrigerant into the heat exchanger where the heat captured in the water is released to the refrigerant. The indoor coil transfers the heat from the refrigerant to the air in the house through the ducts/vents. Now that the refrigerant released its heat, it goes back through a metering device and returns to the heat exchanger to pick up more heat from the water.
While geothermal ground source energy is free, there is a cost to extract and circulate it, and there are upfront expenses associated with installing the geothermal system. The cost can best be justified when a new heating or cooling system is needed, with much of the cost recovered over time in savings and reductions in carbon emissions. In addition, incentives are available from the federal government and often from state and local energy providers.
Because a geothermal system is typically delivered to nearby buildings, it does not require massive infrastructure to transport it from a distance and to store it. Geothermal heat pump systems do need electricity to move the fluid around, but that requires a relatively small amount of electricity, reducing the burden on the electrical grid. In the case of a college campus, that electricity could be generated by nearby solar or wind power. In any event, the reduced pressure on the electrical grid is another major benefit.
Geothermal systems provide a major environmental opportunity for the nation. Facility managers can play a vital role in exploring that opportunity and determining its implications for their properties.
What about Thermal Imaging?
The only way to stay on top of facilities maintenance is by keeping a close eye on the day to day running of buildings. Prevention is often much more effective (and affordable) than repair. This is where thermal imaging comes in. So often thermal imaging is thought of as a tool for night vision and general surveillance. It has many practical uses, especially in terms of facilities management.
Thermal imaging is a low-cost way to maintain buildings and electrical equipment. It allows buildings to be surveyed easily, quickly and without destructive investigation. This in turn helps keep facilities maintenance budgets down.
As mentioned, one of the many benefits of thermal imaging surveys is that they are non-invasive. This means that investigation can be carried out without the need to damage and repair the building or machinery.
On top of that, thermal surveys can be done as part of predictive maintenance. This allows issues to be identified before they become visible to the naked eye.
One of the most obvious ways to use thermal imaging to a great advantage is to check for heat loss. The specialist cameras scan the building and can identify if warm air is escaping. It can also show if there are any cold spots, small air gaps (which air tightness testing can struggle to find) and if there are issues with insulation.
Insulation gaps can be seen using the cameras from the outside. Whereas general interior scans can be more beneficial for checking for warm air escaping (because the air movement is reduced inside). A quick scan can tell if you are heating an area to no avail and might also explain chilly members of staff!
Much like humans, electronics and equipment generate heat. This heat can be picked up on a thermal imaging camera in the same way that other temperatures can.
Using a thermal camera on machinery allows those in charge of facilities management to easily check that equipment is performing as expected. It would be very easy to assess if there was a loose connection for example, as excessive amounts of heat would be being released. This is another example of smaller issues being able to be dealt with before they become big problems.
Often a machine won’t show signs of not working properly until it fully breaks down. Thermal imaging scans allow users to maintain it before that point and help support the running of essential services.
Sustainability is a watchword for everyone in modern times, but it’s especially important for businesses. The pressure is on larger companies to be shown to be as ‘planet friendly’ as possible. Equally it can also benefit the business from practical standpoints.
As mentioned, thermal imaging can easily scan a building for things like heat loss and insulation gaps. The escaped heat means that the building’s heating system will be under increased demand to maintain a stable temperature. Even a few degrees means that more energy is required to supply the building and for the most part, that energy will still be from fossil fuels. Sustainability may not be at the forefront of facilities management, but it is becoming increasingly relevant in today’s world.
When attached to a drone, thermal cameras can be used to identify areas where too much water is collecting. This is something that is much more accessible than having to cause damage to the roof with a more physical inspection.
This can be a huge benefit to commercial business and facilities management. Roof replacement is an exorbitant cost. A single leak can cause a lot of damage within a building itself.
With the spotlight currently on energy saving and environment impact, there is more and more pressure on facilities managers to provide solutions. Based on the above environment engineering experience might well become a useful tool in the world of facilities management. As covered in previous articles there are individuals out there who have genuine proven commercial and environmental awareness, as well as rounded experience in facilities management. It is our job to know who these people are…
Moorcroft have worked with some of the biggest companies in the FM sector. We don’t just want to work with you, we want to understand your culture, your ambition and what kind of people fit your company. How do we do this? Well, we talk to real people and build real relationships. Technology is vital to all our work. However, it is no substitute for picking up the phone. This is what we do and our skill lies in identifying the right people – we pride ourselves on it! We have a proven track record and we strive to work with the best people for each project.
If you have a recruitment requirement, please contact Simon Moorcroft in the first instance.
Email: simon@moorcroftconsulting.com
Website: www.moorcroftconsulting.com
Twitter: @MoorcroftRec
