WASHINGTON — Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is working with the Geothermal Exchange Organization (GEO) and International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) on developing the first national certification standard for all primary personnel involved in the installation of geothermal heat pump (GHP) systems as defined in GHP System Disciplines 07-06-2011 (www.ghpncs.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=21&Itemid=70).

According to the organizations, the standard will be designed to increase customer confidence in the technology, reduce the potential for improperly installed systems, and assure product quality and performance.

ORNL is conducting a series of surveys on federal experience with GHP systems to identify common causes for faulty functioning of systems; industry best practices for GHP system design, installation, and maintenance; the key barriers that prevent wide application of GHP systems; and the qualifications and requirements of all personnel involved in GHP system deployment in federal facilities. In addition, a GHP industry stakeholder survey requests opinions on the qualifications and requirements for GHP disciplines.