FW: Big Green: geo-exchange

Tue Oct 28 15:45:32 EDT 2008

SENDING ON BEHALF OF: Ted Kantrowitz with GeoExchange(tm)

Ms Pavlova and everyone,

My colleague Leon in Chicago forwarded me this email, thought I'd chime in.
I hope that's alright.

I'm glad to hear that you like the term GeoExchange - we do too :)

As the Canadian managers for the term (officially written 'GeoExchange(tm)') we
- that is, the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition or CGC - have made great
strides in professionalizing the geo industry in North America over the past
three years.  We have developed a four-stage national quality program based
on our national Standard for design & installation (CSA C-448), with the
close support of our federal and provincial governments as well as several
large utilities. Though our efforts over the last years haven't been
completely smooth sailing or a quick change, I think we can safely say that
this comprehensive quality approach is a success and can serve as a model
for renewable energy tech market transformation generally.

In contrast, neither a recognized design-installation Standard, nor a
quality program exists in the US, in fact the 'no government intervention'
strain in the US has meant that the US industry is largely disorganized and
CGC has no real partner in the US.  Training is predominantly conducted by
private trainers buying course packets from a business unit of an Oklahoma
university, using materials dating from 1988.  That's normally a three-day
course for all aspects of designing and installing with no follow up or
experience required to begin working in the field.

This lack of market structure damages US consumers to the tune of billions
of dollars in lost energy savings annually, whether due to actually badly
designed / installed systems, or consumer decisions to avoid an industry
with no quality assurance checks in place, a lack of finance on offer (our
quality program actually gives customers access to a special CGC - TD Canada
Trust loan program), the bad actions or reputation of a few local / regional
installers, legal action when conflicts arise between installers and
customers, etc, etc.  This lack of market structure also keeps the geo
market small, I should say miniscule, a fact that a few manufacturers
undoubtedly like.  

In Canada our geo market is growing between 40 and 200% depending on region.
We have a national financing initiative through one of our major banks;
commercial systems are now recognized in our federal tax codes; federal
subsidies for home retrofits are in place which require our quality program;
this is responsible self-regulation, a principle enshrined in Supreme Court
decisions in both Canada and the US dating back to the 1920s.  A
professional association working diligently on behalf of its members can
grow the pie effectively for everyone.

If you would like to know more about what's happening in Canada, I can think
of no better way than flogging my conference to you. :)  Seriously, please
check the agenda on http://www.geo-exchange.ca/en/national_conference.php.
We have speakers from Sweden, Korea, Palestine, as well as several types of
policymakers and businessfolks, members and non, discussing all aspects of
this most quickly-growing renewable energy sector. 

If for some reason you cannot make it to our national conference, there is a
ton of information in each of our industry magazines: case studies,
technical articles, our annual technology prizewinner profiles, lessons
learned from schools, policy analysis, etc.

I'll stop there.  Please email me directly if you'd like to be put on our
mailing list or have any questions about our conference, or the topics
mentioned here.

Best regards from Montréal,

Ted

------------------------------------
Ted Kantrowitz
Vice President / Vice-président
Canadian GeoExchange Coalition
Coalition canadienne de l'énergie géothermique 
1030, rue Cherrier, Bureau 501
Montreal, (Québec) H2L 1H9
Téléphone: 514 807.7559 x34
Télé / fax: 514 807 8221
ted.kantrowitz at geo-exchange.ca
www.geo-exchange.ca
------------------------------------
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-----Original Message-----
From: biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org
[mailto:biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org] On Behalf Of Pavlova,
Ludmilla
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:05 AM
To: biggreen at lists.biggreen.org
Subject: Big Green: geo-exchange

I like that term as well!  This conversation reminded me to ask you
this: has anyone studied the implementation of geo-exchange systems that
are implemented in parallel with domestic septic systems?  Is there a
synergy between the installation of a leaching field and the possible
concurrent installation of geo-exchange piping?

Just wondering... 

Ludmilla Pavlova, AIA, LEED AP

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