Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

* Source: Airtechni and Geoconfort staff, Earth Energy Society of Canada, Hydro-Quebec and NRCan

FAQ > Definitions

• Co-efficient of Performance:
  ACoP is the measure of performance that illustrates how much electrical energy is required for each unit of thermal energy. A CoP of 3.0 means that 1,000 watts of power is consumed by the compressor, pump and blower, to deliver 3,000 watts of heat energy to the building. The 2 kilowatts of ‘net’ energy is the solar energy that is transferred into the building. In Canada, the federal Energy Efficiency Act states that closed-loop units must have a CoP of at least 2.8 and open-loop units must have a CoP of at least 3.2.
• Sizing:
  AA heating system must meet 100% of a building’s heat loss, but an EE system uses an electric resistance heating element to supplement the solar energy transferred from the ground. A residential unit that is sized to 70% of building load will provide 90% of the heat, with the supplemental electric heater providing the other 10%.
• Balance Point:
  AThe outdoor temperature above which an EE system can provide the entire heating requirement of the building; usually -10oC. When the outdoor air temperature is above this balance point, the EE system cycles on and off to satisfy the interior demand for heat. When the outdoor air temperature is below this balance point, the EE system runs continuously and invokes the supplementary heater (also called auxiliary or backup or second stage heater) to meet the demand.
• Sink:
  AThe use of soil or water to accept heat that is rejected from the building (to provide cooling).
  
  
• Source de chaleur.
  ALieu où la chaleur est extraite du sol ou de l'eau pour alimenter le système en chaleur.
  
  
• Auxiliary / Emergency Heat:
  AA heat pump is designed to provide full heat to a building until the outdoor air temperature drops below the design balance point, at which time the auxiliary or supplemental or backup or second stage electric heating element is activated. Emergency heat is provided by the same electric element in the unlikely case of failure of any component that shuts down the heat pump operation.
• Heat Loss:
  AA calculation of the total amount of heat required by a building, considering insulation levels of walls, ceilings and windows, number of occupants, geographic location, soil type and many other factors. The process also calculates the heat gain of the building to determine the summer cooling load.
  
  
• British Thermal Unit:
  AA measure of the heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. This is an imperial measurement; aapproximately 12,000 BTU of capacity equals a one ton heat pump.
  
  
• Air Distribution:
  AAfter the heat pump has converted the solar energy to warm air, the unit distributes the air throughout the building by means of ductwork.
  
  

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