Domestic Projects
Ground Source Heat Pump Installations, Canada
Offsetters has secured the offset rights from a number of ground-source heat pump installations in affordable housing facilities, community centres, and First Nations administrative buildings in Canada.
As indicated in the diagram below, a ground-source heat pump system collects heat from the ground – which stays a consistent temperature throughout the day and year – compresses it, and distributes it through an internal heating system. Running the system in reverse allows it to act as a cooling system in warm climates or seasons. These systems can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with moderating interior air temperature by up to 85% relative to traditional systems.
Projects verified to date include:
- Delta Rehabilitation Centre;
- Semiahmoo House Foundation and Society;
- Seabird Island Indian Band Office;
- Sk'lep School, Kamloops; and
- Piccadilly Terrace Retirement Centre, Salmon Arm
For example, the Semiahmoo House Society provides a facility for the acquisition of life skills needed for semi-independent living. A ground-source heat pump (GSHP) system was installed in 2002. Since then, it has reduced the operational cost of heating the facility by 75% relative to conventional approaches to heating and cooling service provision.
However, given historically low energy prices in British Columbia and high capital costs for GSHP installation, the payback period for a project like this is still over 12 years, making it unfeasible for a not-for-profit entity such as Semiahmoo House. As such, this ground-source heat pump would not have been installed without the financial contribution from carbon credits.
In addition to reducing the operating cost burden of this valuable not-for-profit society, the ground-source heat pump system has prevented the release of 463 tonnes of CO2 per year relative to the traditional heating system that would have been installed otherwise. This results in a stream of high quality carbon offsets that are:
- Real (the installation took place and expected emissions reductions relative to baseline are being achieved);
- Additional (the project would not have taken place without the presence of funds from carbon offset credits, meeting the technology, investment, timing, and common practice tests);
- Permanent (in replacing a conventional, high GHG-intensity heat source with a low GHG-intensity one, the system has achieved permanent reductions in emissions since it was installed).
Third Party Validation and Verification
These projects have been validated and verified by third party auditor A.D. Williams Engineering Inc. as generating high quality carbon offsets in keeping with the ISO 14064 standard.
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