FAQ Category: Understanding Geothermal

Building owners benefit from lower operating costs. Facility personnel benefit from reduce maintenance, occupants benefit from increased comfort and the environment benefits from reduced carbon emissions.

Geothermal HVAC works for us, and we want to share the opportunity! Melink plans to mainstream geothermal HVAC by reducing the installation cost with innovative products such as the Manifest pump station. Our vision also includes educating building owners, architects and engineers about the benefits; providing engineering services; and offering financing to help cover the upfront cost and provide a positive cash flow.

Geothermal has been around for decades. But a lack of awareness of its benefits and proper design of the system has led to slow growth. Melink has utilized geothermal heating and cooling in its Net-Zero Energy headquarters for the past 10 years. Our geothermal system is the biggest contributor to our energy-efficiency goals. We would not have achieved Net-Zero Energy status without it.

Geothermal heat pumps use the ground as a heat exchanger via a closed-loop water circuit. During the winter, the system takes heat out of the ground and transfers it into the building. And during the summer, the system takes heat out of the building and transfers it into the ground. The ground maintains an average temperature of 55-70°F depending on your location. So this is 25-50 percent more energy efficient than conventional HVAC systems using air-source condensing units for cooling and fossil fuels for heating.

Geothermal technology is proven, reliable and efficient. It is the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly way to heat and cool a building, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.