[KC Burke]

A trend for residential the last decade is moving toward the use of earth coupled heat pumps. A single well drilled with a buried loop gives 55 degrees for use in heating and cooling. The tecchnology is simple and the first cost is reasonable. The use of some of this as opposed to air-to-air equipement also gives a longer service life to the equipment as it doesn't have to adjust to the extremes of temperature.

[Andrewksu]

My parents are preparing to build a new home with a geothermal heat pump system, and radiant floor heating, which work nicely together. These techniques are definitely not the norm though, which is why I would like to know the best way to encourage their use, as many people/businesses/builders are hesitant to try new things. I thought the ground temp was closer to 60-63 for the KC area. I plan to stay heavily involved in the designing of the house and systems, as it will be a great learning experience and a good portfolio piece.