From frigid winters to blazing hot summers, staying warm and keeping cool are vital to our well-being.

Whether at work or home, maintaining a stable climate makes a big difference in productivity.

Throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley, there are many heating, ventilation and air conditioning companies that provide commercial, industrial and residential services. One company thats had a presence in the Greater Lehigh Valley for seven decades is Apgar Oil Energy & HVAC.

Here to answer this weeks Behind the List questions is Jim Apgar, owner of the energy provider in Allentown.

Lehigh Valley Business: How long has Apgar Oil Energy & HVAC been operating in the region and what are its primary services?

Jim Apgar: Apgar Oil Energy & HVAC is a locally owned third-generation family business dedicated to servicing Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and the Greater Lehigh Valley area since 1947.

For 70 years, Apgar Oil has provided a full-service approach to our customer service by offering an array of products and services such as residential and commercial heating oil delivery, heating oil price protection programs to help customers manage their fuel costs, performing HVAC home comfort tuneups and service support, equipment sales and installation of high-efficiency, energy-star rated oil, natural gas, heat pumps and central air conditioning systems, whole house air filtration systems, fuel saving energy management catalysts and oil tank installation sales and services.

LVB: What have been some of the biggest challenges and opportunities that Apgar Oil Energy & HVAC has encountered throughout its years in business?

Apgar: Our biggest challenges and opportunities are based on keeping up with the fast-paced, aggressive and ever-changing business landscape and the critical management of current regulations, while satisfying new compliance mandates and balancing escalating insurance costs that affect our profitability in a very competitive energy and HVAC marketplace.

Also, as an energy provider, we must constantly be attuned to daily worldwide geopolitical events that could affect our local energy markets. We offer heating oil price protection programs to our customer base and invest thousands of dollars each year in technical training.

In October 2009, our company had made a proud commitment to deliver a clean-green renewable bio heating oil product. Bio heating oil is a blend of low sulfur heating oil and renewable biofuel (soybean oil), making our heating oil an exceptionally cleaner burning fuel, emitting fewer particulates and greenhouse gas emissions, while increasing heating system efficiency. Today, oil heat is 95 percent cleaner than it was in 1970.

LVB: Now that the warmer weather is here, how is Apgar Oil Energy & HVAC preparing to take on the inevitable service calls for air conditioning services?

Apgar: We are preparing for a very aggressive summer HVAC season. The current weather forecast is warmer-than-usual temperatures and could be drier than normal across much of southeast Pennsylvania.

Spring is the air conditioning and heat-pump tuneup time, and with the phasing out of conventional R-22 refrigerant (the most common refrigerant used in older AC and heat pump systems), [it] should provide us with a positive outlook on HVAC service and installation sales going into late spring and early summer.

Our focus on communications and consumer education is our narrative this cooling season. Our service technicians can provide homeowners with valuable advice when it comes to making proactive decisions on upgrading versus repairing A/C-heat pump systems 15 years or older using R-22 refrigerant. Todays A/C-heat pump equipment with a SEER [Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio] rating of 16+ is energy-star rated and can qualify for utility rebates.

Extended parts and labor warranties are offered to provide the customer with up to 10 years of peace of mind, worry-free operation.

LVB: How does Apgar directly stimulate the local economy?

Apgar: Our mission statement is to buy products from locally owned Lehigh Valley vendors, keeping the money flowing into our community and increase our local tax base.

Our use of bio-heating oil supports local and Pennsylvania farmers, increases jobs throughout the entire production and distribution chain and improves total economic impact of our region. Cleaner air by using biofuel components will improve air quality in the Lehigh Valley and reduce health care costs.

We believe in energy efficiency and providing proactive advice on using high-efficiency energy-star rated HVAC equipment to our customers, saving them money year-after-year on annual energy consumption. Energy savings and managing energy costs are tax-free dividends, giving the consumer more spending power for purchasing other products and services throughout the Lehigh Valley.

LVB: What does the future look like for Apgar Oil Energy & HVAC? Does it have plans for growth?

Apgar: We are proud to be a part of the Lehigh Valley community where our customers showed us so much loyalty throughout the years. Our vision is a bright, clean and green future using bio-heating fuels and promoting energy-star HVAC equipment.

Supporting the growing Lehigh Valley economy, bio-heating oil is also used in commercial applications to provide heat, hot water and steam for apartment buildings, churches, hospitals, arenas, hotels and many other commercial and industrial applications.

Another flexible use of green renewable bio-energy is bio-diesel. With the increased traffic flow throughout the Lehigh Valley a greater demand of bio-diesel will be used commercially for fueling of trucks, railroad turbine engines, off-road highway equipment, cranes, generators and aircraft.

With the ongoing advancements and use of bio-heating fuels for residential and commercial applications, this renewable energy offers our company opportunity to grow with the expanding Lehigh Valley economy. If every household using conventional heating oil switched to bio-heat, it would conserve over 400 million gallons of regular heating oil, reducing our dependency on foreign oil.

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Behind the List with Jim Apgar of Apgar Oil Energy & HVAC - Lehigh Valley Business

Many times when people in the Hopewell Valley need repair or replacement for their heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, they turn to an old neighbor for help.

Stellitano Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. is a name people have known in the HVAC business for 22 years. While the company is based in West Amwell today, proprietors Sharyn and Gary Stellitano grew up in Hopewell, started the business on Van Dyke Road in Hopewell, and they and their staff still serve the Valley community today.

Stellitano does maintenance, repair and installation for just about any heating or air conditioning system a customer could have or want. They install and service boilers, furnaces, heat pumps, ductless split systems, air conditioning systems, radiant flooring, geothermal, indoor air quality products and more. They also do custom ductwork.

One of the calling cards of the business, Sharyn Stellitano says, is that they know that their customers have a wide variety of needs. If a system can be repaired, and thats what the homeowner wants, we can do it, she says. But if they want a replacement system, we can do that also. We wont do a hard sell.

They do recommend high efficiency units and systems whenever its possible, because in the long run they usually mean energy cost savings, Sharyn says. They also look for ways to save their clients money, like recovering coolant whenever they do AC repair. The little things, Sharyn says, can add up.

Sharyn says that integrity is very important to her and Gary, and they look for it in the technicians they hire. The quality that were looking for is first, integrity, and second, mechanical skills, she says. The techs that are with us are loyal to us, and were loyal to them.

In an area like Hopewell, which has a mix of older and new homes, HVAC specialists are liable to see any and every kind of system. Many homes in the area depend on baseboards and radiators for their heat. So the Stellitanos insist that their technicians are all NATE certified and stay up to date on their training. Gary is very big on our technicians knowing everything they should know about the industry, so they can work in any house, Sharyn says.

When a person puts in a call, Stellitano typically responds on the same day as long as thats what the customer wants. They have staff on call 24 hours a day for emergencies. The person who goes to the house to make an estimate is always either Gary or head technician Jeffrey Geiges, Sharyn says people who actually work on HVAC systems, rather than a salesperson.

Theyve worked in the field, so they know what the best fits going to be for the house, or if they dont know, they can find out (from another technician), she says.

* * *

Gary and Sharyn Stellitano are choosy when it comes to heating and air conditioning equipment. Thats because they know that if the equipment they install for their clients isnt reliable, their customers probably wont return.

They have relationships with a broad spectrum of manufacturers. But there are three lines of equipment that they recommend most often: Bryant, Mitsubishi Electric and Weil-McLain.

We represent equipment that is good for our customers houses, Sharyn says. If we say this is good equipment and its going to work, then we have to stand by that, and we also need the manufacturers to stand behind Stellitano. If a customer has an issue, we need them to care. That said, we find that issues with those manufacturers are few and far between.

Just as important as the equipment is the quality of installation. The Stellitanos take pride not just in their own work, but also in their ability to diagnose problems with installations done by other technicians. Its common for them to see incorrectly installed ductwork, or systems that are oversized or undersized for the spaces they serve. They look to fix such problems whenever they can.

Sharyn and Gary, who are married, own the company together. They both went to Hopewell Valley Central High School. They live in East Amwell today with their two children. Gary started as an apprentice while in high school, and has been in the HVAC business his entire professional life. Sharyn did sales and marketing before the couple founded their company.

They count on word of mouth for a lot of their business. Sharyn says sometimes she is surprised when she sees people on social media asking for recommendations for an HVAC repair person or a plumber or electrician. They just dont have a regular person they can turn to, and thats not how it used to be, she says. Used to be everyone had a tradesperson they knew who worked on their home when they needed it. Many of our customers have been with us a long time.

Stellitano Heating and Air Conditioning. Phone: (609) 466-2310.

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Stellitano HVAC goes the extra mile - Mercer Space

"There are dozens of ways homeowners can make their homes more energy efficient," said Michael Petri, owner of Petri Plumbing & Heating. "From retrofitting an old hot water heating system with a tankless system to simply swapping out a water guzzling toilet, even a few small changes can have a significant impact on energy consumption. You're helping the Earth and helping to lower energy bills at the same time."

The experts at Petri Plumbing & Heating offer Brooklyn homeowners these five home upgrades to make their homes more energy efficient:

For Brooklyn residents who want a hand improving the energy efficiency of their homes, a professional from Petri Plumbing & Heating, Inc. can assess a home's current energy usage and recommend a variety of ways to make it more efficient.

For more information about energy saving tips and products, call Petri Plumbing at 718-748-1254.

About Petri Plumbing & Heating, Inc. Petri Plumbing & Heating, Inc. is a family owned and operated business serving Brooklyn and the New York City area. Founded in 1906, the company offers a 100 percent guarantee on all services, upfront pricing, and friendly and knowledgeable Service Experts for all kinds of home and business plumbing and heating needs. Services offered include water and gas pipe leak repair and installation, fixture installations, inspections, boiler repair, water heater installation, complete bathroom, kitchen, laundry & utility room remodeling and more. Petri is also licensed and certified by Green Plumbers USA, the first in New York City to receive this designation. For more information, please visit http://www.petriplumbing.com or call 718-748-1254.

MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 hripley@ripleypr.com

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/energy-saving-tips-from-petri-plumbing--heating-inc-300446899.html

SOURCE Petri Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

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Energy Saving Tips from Petri Plumbing & Heating, Inc. - PR Newswire (press release)

BROOKLYN, N.Y., April 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Petri Plumbing & Heating, Inc., a leading plumbing and heating company serving Brooklyn and Manhattan since 1906, provides homeowners tips to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

The 115 million households in the U.S. today collectively account for nearly a quarter of the country's energy usage, according to Energy.gov, with the average family spending upwards of $2,300 per person a year on their utility bills. In New York, electricity costs are some of the highest in the nation, meaning higher than average utility bills for area homeowners.

"There are dozens of ways homeowners can make their homes more energy efficient," said Michael Petri, owner of Petri Plumbing & Heating. "From retrofitting an old hot water heating system with a tankless system to simply swapping out a water guzzling toilet, even a few small changes can have a significant impact on energy consumption. You're helping the Earth and helping to lower energy bills at the same time."

The experts at Petri Plumbing & Heating offer Brooklyn homeowners these five home upgrades to make their homes more energy efficient:

For Brooklyn residents who want a hand improving the energy efficiency of their homes, a professional from Petri Plumbing & Heating, Inc. can assess a home's current energy usage and recommend a variety of ways to make it more efficient.

For more information about energy saving tips and products, call Petri Plumbing at 718-748-1254.

About Petri Plumbing & Heating, Inc. Petri Plumbing & Heating, Inc. is a family owned and operated business serving Brooklyn and the New York City area. Founded in 1906, the company offers a 100 percent guarantee on all services, upfront pricing, and friendly and knowledgeable Service Experts for all kinds of home and business plumbing and heating needs. Services offered include water and gas pipe leak repair and installation, fixture installations, inspections, boiler repair, water heater installation, complete bathroom, kitchen, laundry & utility room remodeling and more. Petri is also licensed and certified by Green Plumbers USA, the first in New York City to receive this designation. For more information, please visit http://www.petriplumbing.com or call 718-748-1254.

MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 hripley@ripleypr.com

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/energy-saving-tips-from-petri-plumbing--heating-inc-300446899.html

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Energy Saving Tips from Petri Plumbing & Heating, Inc. - Yahoo Finance

WAUSAU, Wis., (WSAW)-- A Marathon City heating cooling company is looking to honor local vets on Flag Day.

Hurtis Heating & Air is accepting nominations to install a new air conditioner for someone that has serviced in the U.S. Military. To explain who is eligible Jim Hurtis of Hurtis Heating & Air joined the Sunrise 7 staff.

The nominee must live in Marathon, Wood, Lincoln or Portage counties and must have an existing forced-air furnace. The company will install the new air conditioner at no cost.

Nomination letters should include a short story explaining why the veteran should be chosen as well as name, military branch, rank, years of service and nominators relationship to veteran. Nominations will be accepted through May 14.

Nomination letters may be emailed to mail@hurtisheating.com or sent to their Facebook page.

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Heating & cooling company to give away free AC system to a local veteran - WSAW

With students enjoying spring break, the Sequim School District used a less-crowded campus and some fortunate good weather to upgrade its heating systems.

Contractors brought in a large construction crane to remove and replace two old rooftop HVAC heat pump units at Sequim High School last week, along with work at other school sites.

This is an important part of our overall program to improve conditions and economical operation in these aging facilities, John McCandie, Sequim School District Facilities director, said. Systems like HVAC just eventually wear out and can no longer be kept running economically, if at all.

Using local contractor Air-Flo Inc. for HVAC installation and other area tradesmen for electrical, roofing repair and control system modernizations associated with the upgrade, the district looked to update and improve indoor air quality, comfort and energy efficiency in aging school facilities, district officials said in a press release.

The systems will deliver greatly improved comfort with high efficiency heating and cooling as well as save energy with new highly efficient heat pumps using less electricity.

Crews replaced the 30-year-old high school HVAC units on April 3.

Originally the work was begun over winter break, but had to be rescheduled when staff found a need for more structural reinforcement due to the heavier weight of the replacement units and congested space above the ceiling, district officials said.

Voters in February approved additional incremental modernization of the central food service facility and other improvements at the Sequim Community School site. Planning for this work will soon be underway.

For more information, contact the district office at 582-3260 or Heidi Hietpas at hhietpas@sequim.k12.wa.us.

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Sequim school district replaces HVAC systems with heat pumps - Sequim Gazette

(Red Oak) -- Another upgrade is set for the Montgomery County Courthouse--but this project is focused on the building's interior.

At its regular meeting Tuesday morning, the county's board of supervisors awarded the contract for the courthouse's heating and air conditioning renovation project to Kale Heating and Air Conditioning and Allensworth Heating and Cooling, with a combined bid of more than $597,000. The board also approved the companies' alternative bid for installation of new windows totaling $40,620. The windows will replace glass removed for individual air conditioning units in the courthouse's offices. The supervisors selected Kale and Allenworth's joint bid over one from another interested company, Complete Air Care of Red Oak. Supervisors Chair Bryant Amos tells KMA News the other bid was rejected because of discrepancies in the bid documents.

"The bid that was really disqualified," said Amos, "was in the amount of $1,840 lower. But, because of not having a bid bond in the packet, it pretty much disqualified it. And, there was a discrepancy in how the numbers were presented. One number was written out, and when you write out the number in words, it was written in a different number. So, we had some problems with that bid. Unfortunately for them, a couple of mistakes kind of put them out of the picture."

Amos says work is expected to begin by June 1st, with the heating portion of the new system up and running by October 1st. He says the new system will be installed in phases.

"We're replacing an old boiler system," he said, "and this will basically be a coolant system. They're trying to use the existing boiler pipe holes and conduits to run their lines. But, there will be some hammer drilling, and things like that going on. So, it will be kind of inconvenient for a while. There will be some noise. They're trying to cooperate on court dates, so they won't be doing the louder things then."

Amos, however, says the project's end result will be well worth any inconveniences.

"We should have a much more uniform heat throughout the building," said Amos. "If one room is too hot, and another room needs heat, it will actually move the heat from one room to the other. We could also be cooling one room, and heating another--like, for instance, our I-T room, where we have all the equipment, and the heat in there. Sometimes, that heat will be able to be distributed elsewhere. Also, there will be times that you would have to cool that room while you're heating the rest of the building."

In order to cover the project's costs, Amos says the county plans to issue bonds, as well as use money earmarked in the county's budget.

"We can bond on our own, without a vote, for $600,000," he said. "And, we are going to use those bonds. But in the first year of it, we have set aside money to make that payment, without raising our debt levy portion for taxes. Then, we'll be able to go from year to year on our debt levy, to see what we need to do."

The HVAC renovation follows on the heals of last year's replacement of the venerable courthouse's roof.

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Montgomery County supervisors okay HVAC contract - KMAland

April 25, 2017 05:00 ET | Source: Global Market Insights, Inc

Ocean View, Delaware, April 25, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Geothermal Heat Pump Market size is slated to surpass USD 130 billion by 2024, according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. Growing demand for energy efficient space heating systems from cold climatic regions, especially in North America and Europe, will drive the geothermal heat pump market size. In the U.S., GHP installation in the Southern states accounted for 35%, the North East was 20%, Midwest at 34% and Western region stood at 11%.

Introduction of various incentives including RHI, financial assistance and tax rebate to encourage the adoption of sustainable heating and cooling system will drive the U.S. geothermal heat pump market. In February 2017, the U.S. government announced that HR 1090 will extend the residential and commercial installation tax credit for GHP systems, small wind turbine, CHP and fuel cell through 2021.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/370

Ability to use ground temperature as fuel to provide reliable and cost effective energy for heating and cooling purposes will stimulate geothermal heat pump market share by 2024. Government has introduced several regulations and policies including EU Emission Trading Scheme, 2030 Climate and Energy Framework and Paris Climate Agreement with aim to curb carbon emissions. In 2016, Germany announced to launch USD 19.2 billion campaign to reduced 50% of energy consumption by 2050 and encourage the adoption of energy efficient systems.

Finland geothermal heat pump market size is set to exceed 3GWt by 2024. Increasing installation of renewable heating and cooling system owing to economic downturn will stimulate the business landscape. In 2015, over 8000 people were switched from electricity or oil driven heating and cooling system to GHP systems. It has been analyzed that installation of these products will help to reduce heating cost by USD 2.3 billion over next 20 year.

Browse key industry insights spread across 200 pages with 194 market data tables & 9 figures & charts from this 2017 report Geothermal Heat Pump Market in detail along with the table of contents at:

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/geothermal-heat-pump-market

Closed loop accounted for over 75% of global geothermal heat pump market share in 2016. Higher efficiency, reliability and flexibility are some of the key features which makes it adoption preferable over conventional systems. Lower life cycle and O&M cost will further complement the business growth. These systems can be install either horizontally or vertically depending on plot size. Vertical installation is mostly preferred owing to less space requirement. Low installation cost requirement owing to absence of drilling rig and pipes will positively impact open loop geothermal heat pump market.

Rising investments towards energy efficient building infrastructure along with introduction of net zero emissions building regulation will propel the commercial geothermal heat pump market. In 2016, Lloyd bank announced to invest approximate USD 1 billion for commercial property to cut carbon dioxide emission from their real state asset.

South Korea geothermal heat pump market for 2016 accounted over 6% of Asia Pacific share. Introduction of various government subsidy program including Regional Deployment Program, Residential House Program and Building Deployment Program will augment the industry size. This program helps to provide 50% of the total installation cost.

Major industry participants in geothermal heat pump market are NIBE, Robert Bosch, Kensa Heat Pumps, Finn Geotherm, Stiebel Eltron, Glen Dimplex, Trane, Ecoforest, Climate Master, MODINE, Danfoss, Carrier, Bryant Heating & Cooling Systems, Viessmann, WaterFurnace, Bard HVAC, Vaillant Group, and Green Planet Supply.

Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/370

Geothermal Heat Pump market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industrywith estimates & forecast in terms ofinstalled capacity and revenue from 2014 to 2024, for the following segments:

Global Geothermal Heat Pump Market, By Product

Global Geothermal Heat Pump Market, By Application

The above information is provided on a regional and country basis for the following:

Browse Related Reports:

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/district-heating-market

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/power-and-control-cable-market

About Global Market Insights

Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.

Contact Us: Arun Hegde Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights, Inc. Phone:1-302-846-7766 Toll Free:1-888-689-0688 Email:sales@gminsights.com Web:https://www.gminsights.com Blog:https://gminsights.wordpress.com Connect with us:Facebook|Google+|LinkedIn|Twitter

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Geothermal Heat Pump Market size worth $130bn by 2024: Global Market Insights, Inc. - GlobeNewswire (press release)

George Senerth (right) WhidbeyHealth executive director of facilities, checks on construction progress of the new addition. Its innovative heating and cooling system is predicted to reduce energy use by half. Photo by Patricia Guthrie/Whidbey News-Times

Climate change is coming to WhidbeyHealth Medical Center.

An innovative heating and cooling system being installed at its $50 million new addition could turn the facility into one of the most energy-efficient hospitals in the country.

Known as a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system, it will respond quickly when patients want their rooms warmer or cooler and it could cut energy use and bills in half.

Comparing it to conventional systems, Im told with the VRF system the energy savings is 50 percent, said George Senerth, executive director of facilities for the healthcare system.

Cutting back on its heating and cooling bills means less demand for electricity, and ultimately less burning of fossil fuels.

This is very unique for the West Coast. Its energy efficient but not with high cost, says Don Iverson, mechanical engineer at Coffman Engineers, Inc., a consultant on the project. Youre not creating a very high construction cost to get energy efficiency.

WhidbeyHealth Medical Centers new 39-patient room addition, designed by HDR Architecture, is expected to open by summer. The hospitals contractor is Andersen Construction.

Construction is about 82 percent complete, Senerth said.

Seattle-based Coffman Engineers suggested using the VFR system as a way to reduce electric bills and more efficiently provide climate control. The Coupeville-based hospital depends on propane and electricity for heating and cooling, which are more expensive than natural gas.

Hospitals may heal people, but they tend to be unhealthy for the environment.

Thats because most hospitals rely on a traditional reheat system that blows cold air into hundreds of rooms at the same time from a large, centrally-located ventilation system.

The air is delivered cold because some interior rooms need cooling. Rooms that dont need cooling have individual heating coils that heat the cooled air back up to room temperature.

As much as 40 percent of all energy consumed by a hospital is used for reheating, Iverson says.

Instead of blowing air continuously throughout a building using a standard compressor, VFR systems use variable speed compressors and technology that sense when a room needs to be cooled or heated.

With variable refrigerant flow technology, it spreads out the control of the system into a zoned basis, Iverson explained. Heating coils are controlled by the room, not the central system.

Thermostats exist in patient rooms now, Senerth said, but theyre inefficient.

Our system is so old that if a patient turns it down to 68 degrees from 74 degrees, it will take awhile, he said.

The VFR system recovers heat from where its not needed and redirects it. It also senses when a rooms temperature rises as more people gather, such as in a conference room. It adjusts accordingly.

Whidbeys addition is designed with two long corridors with windows facing south and north. Although built as a two-story addition, only one floor is being used for patients.

We have north-facing patient rooms and south-facing patient rooms, Iverson said. We need to cool the south facing and we need to heat north facing. This system is ideal for that.

The VRF concept was developed in Japan decades ago and caught on in Europe long before it came to the United States.

Its been installed in mid-size buildings throughout the country, but WhidbeyHealth is the first health care facility to install it large-scale for a patient wing.

Students with the University of Washingtons Integrated Design Lab are tracking the project to gauge energy savings. It could qualify for a maximum rebate from Puget Sound Energy, which requires a 25 percent reduction in energy usage.

It will reduce the load of electricity needed from Puget Sound Energy and it will save them coal, Iverson said.

Another plus is that patients will breathe air thats only been recirculated from their own rooms and not the entire building as is done with conventional systems, Iverson explained.

In addition to projected energy savings, the WhidbeyHealth addition is designed to reduce water usage with low flow plumbing fixtures and less irrigation, said Annette Himelick with HDR Architecture.

A courtyard being built as an outdoor extension of the existing cafeteria is designed with conservation in mind, Himelick added.

The site is landscaped with 100 percent Pacific Northwest native plants, 65 percent of them native to the island. These native plants do not have the same irrigation needs that other plants require.

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Climate change predicted for new hospital - Whidbey News-Times (subscription)

SIDEBAR

City seeing decline in water levels

By HOLLY DILLEMUTH

H&N REPORTER

Randy Travis, who manages the water and geothermal Division at the city of Klamath Falls, said he's seen a decline in water levels in the geothermal aquifer since reaching out to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in 2012.

Travis describes two different types of aquifers that lend to differences in how water transfers below the earth's surface clay (basalt) and sand.

You can have a sand aquifer where most of it is sand and water moves through there fairly frequently, Travis said. Or, you can have a basalt aquifer where water moves through clay, not real quickly.

The Klamath Falls area geothermal aquifer is basalt, and was developed through clay of varying type and color, Travis said.

I always describe it to people as looking like a sponge, Travis said. That sponge will hold a certain amount of water. That's kind of what the groundwater aquifer begins to look like.

Travis said the drop in water levels are minimal and believes the increase in precipitation this year could change water levels in the coming years.

He estimates cooling of some geothermal wells could involve environmental factors such as the recent drought in Klamath County.

As it relates to declining water levels, Travis said: I think it's probably more of a factor of the dry years that we've had recently. We haven't seen a drop in temperature in either one of our wells and have only seen drops in the water levels.

More online users

Travis said he has heard through the grapevine that some private well owners believe additional use in the aquifer by users such as Oregon Tech, the city of Klamath Falls, the Herald and News building and anyone else on the ridge who has tapped into it as contributors to the cooling of private geothermal wells.

One-hundred percent of water pumped from city wells for geothermal use is re-injected into the geothermal aquifer, Travis said, which he added shows that the city isn't causing the lower water levels.

You may be taking some temperature out of it but you're not depleting the water level, he said. It potentially could be a water level issue, he said.

Water levels in the city's wells varies depending on time of year and whether the wells are being pumped. However, with that said, the static (no pumps running in either well) water levels in both wells appear to be approximately six to 10 feet lower as measured over the last 10-plus years Although the water levels in the city's wells appears to be lower when compared to historic levels, 100 percent of that water is being re-injected into another well located approximately one mile away.

Running at 'half-speed'

Travis led H&N staffers on a tour Friday of the city's two geothermal wells in the area of Laguna and Old Fort Road.

Opening the door to one of the wells, he noted the well measured 216 degrees Fahrenheit, an optimal temperature.

Nice and warm, he said, once inside the well room. This is a good place to be in the winter time.

The city measures flows in gallons per minute for the Geothermal Division, and personnel record the speed of the pump and the temperature three times a week, as well as the water measurement once per quarter.

On Friday Travis estimated the flows were approximately 400 to 500 gallons per minute, down from an approximate 950 1,000 gallons per minute on an average day in January.

Right now, we're running about half speed, Travis said. It's a relatively nice day so customers aren't needing a huge amount of heat.

We're pumping it out of this well, down through the heat-exchanger and then re-injecting it a well at the heat-exchanger, he added.

Sample surveys

Although the city doesn't make a practice of monitoring most private wells, Travis said the city started taking water level measurements of six to seven private wells, with permission of residents, eight to 10 years ago in order to monitor the general health of the geothermal aquifer.

There are roughly 500-600 private geothermal wells in the Klamath Falls area, according to John Lund, former director of the Geo Heat Center.

With that small of a cross-section (sampling), I suppose you could miss something, Travis said.

When asked if the geothermal aquifer is healthy, Travis said: It's obvious the water level has dropped and everybody admits that. What's the cause of it? Who knows. In all likelihood, my belief is that it's just a natural cycle. Five years from now, we could be looking at much higher water levels. That would have to do with the wet years we are experiencing now.

For all that is known about geothermal energy, Travis emphasizes much is still unknown about the energy.

I've heard a couple of our local consultants refer to it as 'black magic,' Travis said. I think that's tongue in cheek You don't have a window to see what's going on under the ground.

"I think it's still a very viable resource, but a person has to weigh that cost effectiveness with the benefits, Travis added.

It's never free heat in that at some point in time, your system's going to fail, whether the well collapses or pumps fail or pipes leaks. There's a cost always associated with it.

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What's hot, what's not - Herald and News