By Michael Clancy | The Arizona Republic
A luxury home in Scottsdale’s DC Ranch has taken environmental design to the next level, using geothermal cooling and heating to greatly reduce the owner’s utility bill.
Operating quietly and mostly out of sight and out of earshot, the geothermal heat-pump system takes the energy of the Earth and uses it to cool and heat the home, nestled in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains.
“Geothermal is not new, but it is the last great frontier for environmental awareness,” said Jay Egg, an expert in the field. “The fact that there is nothing to see is one of its greatest qualities.”
Around the country, geothermal is a growing but underutilized means of heating and cooling homes, said Egg, author of two books published by McGraw-Hill on the subject and a consultant to the industry.
