Improving the Use of Energy in Buildings

Ground Source Heat Pumps

Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs) are an alternative form of electric heating, ideally suited to new, larger properties. They extract heat stored in the ground (which is replenished from the sun) and pass it through a heat exchanger to raise the temperature of water sufficiently high to heat a home. GSHPs tend to work most efficiently when raising water to a temperature around 40°C, and so are best matched to a wet underfloor heating system. As the heat source is the sun, the only energy used in a GSHP system is in the pumps and compressors needed to run the system; typically these use only a quarter as much energy as is released into the building in the form of heat. (In other words, a Ground Source Heat Pump can be 300-400% efficient.)

As it is not normally possible to fit a wet underfloor heating system into an existing property, GSHPs are most commonly installed into new properties.

For more information, please visit the website of the Ground Source Heat Pump Association: www.gshp.org.uk