The Campbells were concerned about the impact fossil fuel combustion was having on the environment, as well as their high energy bills. In 2010 they made adjustments. They abandoned coal for a six ton, horizontal, ground source heat pump and then improved their home performance by adding foam insulation. An 8,750 watt solar photovoltaic unit was installed in 2012. The homeowners note the added comfort and safety of their home after making this transition. They now have the added benefit of air conditioning and can avoid the risks associated with burning fossil fuels.

Eager to find a solution to high energy bills, the Kimballs switched from fossil fuels to heat pumps and also made energy efficiency upgrades. The system has already paid for itself and the household saves $1,500-$2,000 per year. “The systems have exceeded our expectations in all regards," the Kimballs state. Their motivation for installing heat pump technology was fueled by a dying oil fired furnace and a desire for air conditioning.

The Finlayson-Schuelers went geothermal in 2010, as the environmental harm caused by climate change was becoming more widely known. “It was just the right thing to do,” explains Ted Finlayson-Schueler. They gained the added benefit of air conditioning and a more comfortable home! They now have a four ton geothermal system with a horizontal loop field, as well as solar panels and solar hot water.

Motivated by concern about climate change, the Clausens converted from heating with fuel oil to a geothermal heating system in 2016. This complements their decision to install additional solar photovoltaic units in 2017 (adding to a system installed by previous owners in 2012).

The threat of climate change was the strongest motivating factor for investing in a geothermal heat pump as well as rooftop solar photovoltaic electricity at this house in the Tipperary Hill section of the city. This case illustrates that geothermal energy is possible on a small lot in a tight space. The vertical wells were drilled in a small area on the front lawn and in the driveway.

This 1825 historic house was converted from a natural gas heating system (forced hot air and hot water) to geothermal heating and cooling (forced air and hot water) in 2018. With the goal of reducing household greenhouse gas emissions to the bare minimum, the occupant has also converted the gas stove to electric induction, and has replaced a hybrid car with an electric vehicle.