Vancouver's Fenix Energy Helps to Makes Geo-Exchange a More Affordable Reality

We all produce heat. In winter we need more, summer, we want the opposite. Every day in all seasons, facilities managers work to ensure those who inhabit their office, condos and shopping centres are comfortable. Making us comfortable takes a whole lot of energy-and with that the price of a large carbon footprint.

"Fenix Energy has pioneered a new approach to installing renewable energy in urban centres that shaves months off new construction timelines." says a Vancouver-based cleantech firm. [1] This is big news.

Like other renewable energy projects, existing infrastructure can act as an inhibitor to technologies such as geo-exchange. But with the right solution and commitment, geo-exchange can take on a greater role in greening buildings.

What's geo-exchange?

According to the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition, geo-exchange is a term used to describe "an alternative to traditional oil- gas- or coal-fired heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems." [2] The technology is also known as geothermal heat pump systems. Since the ground has both heating and cooling properties, through technology we can harness it to heat and cool buildings, instead of using fossil fuels. "This heat 'exchange' between the ground and the building is accomplished by using standard pump and compressor technology." [3]

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Meirav Even-Har is a Justmeans staff blogger. She reports on Canadian CSR issues. Meirav is an independent sustainability consultant and writer working in Toronto, Canada.