Geothermal System in newly constructed home

Students in the construction program at the Frederick V. Pankow Center in Clinton Township are experiencing first-hand the trend to build more "green friendly" homes.  They are currently constructing a home at 45355 Debbie Court in Macomb that will feature a geothermal heating and cooling system.  The instructor, Dean Sabelhaus, has brought in the expertise of the Porter and Heckman Company from Lapeer and Michigan Energy Services of Whitmore Lake to install and teach about the system.  On May 6, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., a crew from Michigan Energy Services will be installing the ground loop part of the system, which is the underground tubing that picks up the Earth's energy.  An alcohol/water substance is pumped through this tubing.
Sabelhaus applied for and received a grant from DTE Energy earlier this year to offset the cost of the system.  "The costs involved in utilizing the Earth’s energy to heat and cool our homes are front-loaded, but lower monthly energy bills over the lifespan of the system make it a cost effective alternative to traditional energy sources like natural gas, electricity, and propane," said Sabelhaus.  The savings are at least 30 percent per year over conventional systems and can increase exponentially with the use of high quality windows and insulating systems. 
"Lower monthly energy costs and a lower carbon footprint on the environment make sense. The traditional builder cannot afford to build these kinds of homes and remain competitive with other builders using industry standards.  However, as awareness of these energy saving opportunities increases, more and more homebuyers are requesting this type of system, especially if they intend to live in their homes for a long period of time," added Sabelhaus. 
 This is the second house that Sabelhaus has built with students in the last two years.  The current project will be finished during the 2008-2009 school year.  A new home will be started in the spring of 2009.  Sabelhaus hopes to install these heating systems in the remaining four houses that the district plans to build in the Urban Meadows Subdivision over the next five years. 
 For more information, contact Sabelhaus at 586-855-0323 or at sabelde@lc-ps.org.