Want to cut your utility bill in half and reduce your carbon footprint?

Raul Mena, of Algiers, says its possible. And today, his company, Raul Mena Inc. launched a new website to inform New Orleans area residents about Geothermal air conditioning and heating.

Mena, Founder and President of the New Orleans based company, has been in the HVAC business for more than fifty years. About fifteen years ago, in response to high utility bills and his concern for the environment, Mena began to focus on highly energy efficient Geothermal air conditioning and heating systems. At the time the technology was new and Mena had to build his own custom equipment (including drilling rigs) to complete jobs. Today, Geothermal is becoming more popular and although a system may cost a little bit more than conventional air conditioning to install, the long terms savings are substantial and the life expectancy of Geothermal systems are much greater.

Geothermal/ Geoexchange air conditioning and heating systems, use the earth's natural energy. According to the site:

In the winter, water circulating through pipes buried in the ground absorbs heat from the earth and carries it into the home. The Geoexchange/Goethermal system inside the home uses a heat pump to concentrate the earth's thermal energy and then to transfer it to air circulated through standard ductwork to fill the interior space with warmth.

In the summer, the process is reversed: heat is extracted from the air in the house and transferred through the heat pump to the ground loop piping. The water in the ground loop then carries the excess heat back to the earth. The only external energy needed for Geoexchange/Geothermal is the small amount of electricity needed to operate the ground loop pump and fan. It is more efficient and environmentally superior to 'transfer' heat than to 'create' it through combustion.

The site also explains a number of other benefits to going Geothermal including: significant tax credits (up to 30% back from the Federal Government), reduction of utility bills, lack of outside equipment to be vandalized, and environmental benefits. Financing for Geothermal air conditioning systems is available.

For more information on this innovative technology check out the Menaair site.