Beinfield GREEN

Another Beinfield Architecture green project in progress -
 
Some of the numerous green initiatives incorporated into the design are….

Geothermal system

High performance glazing

Spray Foam insulation

Induction cooktop

LED lighting throughout

Green roof

LEDs and CFL lamps are an excellent way of conserving energy; their intuitive, inherent technology allows significantly reduced electricity consumption for their usage. This not only results in more efficient usage of electrical resources, it also paves the way for major energy savings.

A GEOTHERMAL system uses the energy of the sun, stored in the earth, to keep you in comfort all year round. Even in the winter, when a blanket of snow may cover the ground, the earth's temperature is a constant 10 to 15 Degrees C (40-60 Degrees F) at only six feet below the surface, all year round. This means that you have a steady supply of heat to keep you in comfort, even in the depths of the coldest winter.

The geothermal system consists of a geothermal unit, installed in your house, which is attached to a series of pipes buried in the ground. An ethanol solution is circulated through the pipes to make them highly efficient conductors of heat. The ethanol in the pipes absorbs the heat from the ground and is pumped back into the geothermal unit in the house. The unit extracts the heat from the ethanol solution, then distributes the heat throughout the house.

In the summer, the whole process reverses itself. Heat is taken from the air in the house and transferred to the ground, which on warm days is cooler than the air.

Extensive planting within cities is now widely recognized as a means of improving air quality. Therefore, green roofs contribute to the reduction of a number of polluting air particles and compounds not only through the plants themselves, but also by deposition in the growing medium itself.

Plants reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and produce oxygen GREEN ROOFS reduce the heat island effect, which is the main cause of ozone production Plant roofs remove heavy metals, airborne particles and volatile organic compounds Being absorbed into the green roof system these polluting particles do not enter the water system through surface run off leading to improvement in water quality Although green roofs are recognised as playing a positive role in improving air quality, this is linked to the positive effect they have on the urban heat island effect.

Excerpted from :http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/geothermal-energy/tech.html, http://truegreengeo.com/geothermal/faq.html, http://www.efb-greenroof.eu/verband/fachbei/fa01_englisch.html