coastal bc | Stage 3 Renewables

Solar Air Collector – Renewable Space Heat in Northern Climates

by jdunkley | Nov 19, 2013

The idea of heating a space with the sun is very attractive and elegant, though not trivial to implement cost effectively in Northern coastal climates. The challenge is that both daily and seasonally, the load and source don’t coincide. When we need space heat,...

Energy efficiency with geothermal

by jdunkley | Jun 12, 2012

This project exemplifies energy efficiency. The building envelope is ICF, attic blown cellulose, premium windows and doors allow this 2,500+ sq ft home to be comfortably heated with a 3T nominal heat pump. The system includes a year round, domestic hot water preheat...

Extended Care Solar Thermal

by jdunkley | Jun 12, 2012

This extended care hospital facility uses a significant amount of hot water and was due for a new hot water system to replace the failing one. The solar hot water preheat system will provide nearly 50% of the load annually to the building. A drainback, preheat...

Doing it all with one geothermal heat pump

by jdunkley | Jun 12, 2012

This distillery project provided unique challenges and unique opportunities. A geothermal heat pump by its very design moves heat from an area that it is not wanted/needed to an area that it is.

Biomass + Solar = Energy Independence

by jdunkley | Sep 27, 2011

In British Columbia, nothing says local energy like a combined biomass gasification and solar thermal system to supply space heat and domestic hot water. During the low solar gain, high heat requirement months, the biomass system provides the vast majority of the...