Novel Use of Geosolar Exergy and Storage Technology in Existing Housing Applications: Conceptual Study

Abstract

A solution to the inordinate amount of energy used for climate control in buildings is of paramount importance if we are to significantly reduce our dependence on fossil fuels in a relatively short time. A large quantity of low-grade energy is available in the earth surrounding a typical residential structure. This energy is often tapped for use in heating and cooling in conjunction with a ground source heat pump. Efficient use of this energy source can be realized without the expense of a heat pump by designing a green system directly integrating the ground source with a dynamic building envelope. This paper explains the concept of the ground-coupled dynamic (GCD) wall, which can be easily retrofitted in some form to most existing structures to capture and use this low-grade energy. It makes use of clean renewable resources without excessive amounts of expensive or high-tech equipment. The paper demonstrates that in conjunction with an exergy management system, the application of this concept could significantly lower residential fossil fuel consumption.