The temperature of the ground below a certain depth remains constant all year round. Ground source heat pumps take this latent heat, using heat collectors called slinkies that are buried in the ground, and use it to heat the home.

The fluid in the slinky is drawn into an evaporator and the resulting gas is compressed until it reaches 80 degrees Centigrade. The vapour is condensed and circulated through underfloor heating, where a temperature of 40 degrees Centigrade can be maintained.

Ground source heat pumps are most suitable for well insulated properties with underfloor heating or low temperature radiators. The home needs to have enough garden for the slinkies to be buried, or for a bore hole, although this second option is much more expensive.

- Description added by: Baxi

Renewable and alternative energy sources are set to play an increasingly important role in providing the electricity, heat, cooling and fuels that society needs. There is a wide range of energy sources such as solar (both photovoltaic and solar thermal), wind, bio-fuels and biomass, hydro-electric, geothermal and heat pumps. - Description added by: David Lockie

Heating and cooling are typically extremely energy intensive technologies. In the United Kingdom the majority of heating in our homes and buildings is provided by burning natural gas. Renewable energy technologies such as solar heating, or heat pumps provide a sustainable low carbon alternative. Condensing boilers, and combined heat and power (CHP) also offer significant energy savings. In this circumstance energy that would have otherwise been wasted (which happens in traditional power plants) is instead used by the local community via a district heating scheme. Alternatively, a micro CHP system (such as a residential fuel cell, or Stirling engine) produces both electricity and heat to serve a local heat demand i.e. for a particular building. Energy efficiency technologies such as low carbon ventilation solutions can reduce the energy demands of buildings. - Description added by: David Lockie

Communities consist of homes, businesses and sometimes industrial concerns, with infrastructure like health care, transport, communications, government and utilities. Many decisions about low carbon need to be considered at the community level in order to ensure that ‘joined-up thinking’ is applied to the process. Click the picture to the right to explore our interactive community environment. - Description added by: David Lockie