Earth–Air Heat Exchanger Geo-Climatic Suitability for Projected Climate Change Scenarios in the Americas

Abstract

Earth–air heat exchangers (EAHE) provide heating and cooling that is intrinsically tied to the climate of the surrounding environment. A climate-based approach was applied to 273 sites for both historical and projected climate conditions, with the latter being defined by three different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) from the CMIP5 collection of Global Circulation Models (GCMs). Changes to heating and cooling degree hours as well as heating and cooling capacity were estimated and used to classify geo-climatic suitability. The analysis revealed cooler climates will retain their ability to provide cooling despite increasing cooling needs driven by warming temperatures. On the other hand, warmer, more tropical, climates will observe reduced suitability as cooling demand grows. The magnitude and variability of the changes in EAHE potential were greatest for the RCP8.5 scenario during the 2061–2090 time period, particularly for regions with a comparable mix of heating and cooling needs. Ultimately, the results demonstrate that future EAHE suitability is climate dependent, with cooler climates being relatively resistant to changes when compared to warmer climates. The results can be used by stakeholders to find useful climate analogs for their sites of interest to consider the potential impact of global climate change on EAHE usability.