Builder - December 2008 - (Page 51) DIGITALHOME SMART TECHNOLOGY FOR NEW HOMES ■ EDITED BY DAN DALEY Dig Deep Manhattan is the newest frontier in the geothermal movement. G eothermal heating and cooling have been associated with geologically active locations of the world. So it’s surprising to discover that this eco-friendly approach to indoor environmental conditioning is also taking root in geologically stable New York City. More than 100 permits for geothermal wells have been fi led with the city’s Department of Environmental Conservation in the past eight years, and 35 such wells are in operation in Manhattan. Using geothermal heating and cooling systems lowers utility bills by as much as 70 percent versus conventional HVAC systems, according to trade group Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium (GHPC). In Manhattan’s bedrock, geothermal activity begins to become evident at about 1,100 to 1,400 feet, where the temperature holds steady at about 52 degrees F. As a rule of thumb, the average geothermal system costs about twice as much to install as a conventional heating and air conditioning system, according to John Kelly, executive director of the GHPC. Not surprisingly, they’re considerably more expensive to install in dense urban areas such as New York, where one installation in a condominium reportedly cost $150,000 more than a conventional HVAC system would have. While the hardware and technology costs are roughly on par with those of conventional systems, the cost of drilling is usually what doubles the price. However, geothermal systems typically have lower life-cycle costs than any other heating/cooling system, conventional or otherwise, thanks to the simplicity of their design. Geothermal heating and cooling costs for a typical 2,000-square-foot home can run as low as $1 a day. Kelly says that more than one million geothermal HVAC systems have been shipped in the U.S. since 1994, with half of them intended for residential construction. The federal government’s Energy Information Administration reported 63,682 geothermal heat pumps shipped in 2006 (the most recent year for which data are available), a 33 percent increase over the 2005 total of 47,830. “When the housing market returns, you’ll see geothermal posting bigger numbers than ever, because the memories of heating oil and electricity costs of the past few years will remain quite vivid in the minds of consumers,” he says. T Sound Saver he LCR speaker array goes stealth with Artison’s in-wall system, soffited versions of the company’s Masterpiece, Portrait, and Sketch attachable LCRs. In-walls let builders include more speaker in less space. Artison’s DualMono Center Channel technology integrates the center channels into the upper portion of both the right and left speaker housing, producing an identically matched monaural sound. N climate control, a six-camera security system tied into the Oklahoma builder takes network and availvideo tech in stride in home designs. able onineveryhouse, screen the orth Oklahoma City and an automated irrigation sysbuilder Jeff Click’s most tem also on the home’s grid. recent show home has What the home doesn’t have is a all of the technological custom price tag: It’s priced at turbines, such as media $250,000 including the technolservers and AV power amps, ogy, not far above the city’s placed subtly, hidden in tech- average home price of $173,585, nology closets and connected to according to the U.S. Census media ports such as the home Bureau, and well below what theater and automation system. such a technology complement Five LG plasma televisions would have cost a few years ago. throughout the home are black Click doesn’t have the typical box–free, with cable boxes and builder background; his degree other hardware out of sight. is in telecommunications and Speakers are flush-mounted. he’s a self-described geek. But The house has complete he’s an evangelist for integrating home automation, lighting and this generation of affordable Out of Sight home technology into new construction as a matter of course. “It’s inexpensive, does a lot, and once it’s programmed, it doesn’t need any maintenance to operate,” he says of the HAI Omni Pro system he used recently. Click is now using the Apple TV box to host all the media in the home and make pictures of his other properties available for visitors to see. Taking Apple as a marketing tool one step further, he recently launched an iPhone version of his Web site that not only shows images of the homes but also links to Google Maps to guide prospective buyers there. Click gets more than his share of tech-savvy prospects; it’s a way of staking out and mining a specific market niche. “Technology’s a great differentiator,” he says. B S Music Mania onos’ new Sonos Bundle 150 (BU150) wireless multiroom music system includes two Sonos ZonePlayers: a ZonePlayer ZP90, which can be connected to an existing stereo or home theater, and a Sonos ZonePlayer ZP120, which has a powerful audiophilequality amplifier that can be connected to speakers and placed in any room. Adding additional ZonePlayers and controllers can expand the system. The new bundle retails for $999. DO YOU HAVE A TECH STORY? E-MAIL DENISE DERSIN AT: ddersin@hanleywood.com W W W.BUILDERONLINE.COM de c e m ber 2 0 08 BUILDER ■ 51 http://WWW.BUILDERONLINE.COM
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