Building on its leading sustainability credentials, Australand has announced its new Fairwater masterplanned community in Western Sydney will be the largest residential development in the country to incorporate leading geothermal heating and cooling technology.

An environmental first for new residential masterplanned communities in Australia, every one of the approximately 800 new home sites at Australand's Fairwater community in Blacktown will have provision for the GeoAir geothermal heating and cooling system.

The GeoAir technology is a cutting edge renewable energy source that could save residents on average up to 60% in their energy costs compared to a standard air-conditioned home, based on equivalent house size and power usage.

A typical four person household might expect to save up to $500 per year based on current electricity prices.

Australand Sustainability Manager Paolo Bevilacqua said the initiative is a prime example of the company's commitment to reduce energy costs for the residents of its communities.

“Our new Fairwater masterplanned community in Western Sydney will be one of the country's most sustainable and raises the bar for environmental performance at a community level,” explained Mr Bevilacqua.

“We investigated ways to reduce energy costs and improve efficiency and the benefits of the GeoAir systems were apparent after we piloted the geothermal technology for 24 months in our Lidcombe sales office.

“We're proud to announce that the cutting edge technology will be standard for each new home site at Fairwater,” he said.

Australand was responsible for the installation of QPS Geothermal's first GeoAir geothermal system in Australia, enabling it to assess the performance of the technology before committing to making it standard for all home sites in the new development.

Australand is also trialing the technology at one of its industrial warehouse developments in Eastern Creek, with construction due to commence in August 2014.

Fairwater is one of the first residential developments to be registered for a Green Star Communities Pilot rating, reinforcing Australand's commitment to sustainable development across all its operations.

“High Coefficients of Performance (COPs) equate to lower operating costs. Typical residential air conditioning systems have COPs on average of 3.1 to 3.7. GeoAir operates at COPs up to 8.3, which makes it one of the most efficient heating and cooling products available, providing the residents of our new Fairwater community with the ability to enjoy substantial energy cost savings.”

The GeoAir technology works by using the earth's constant temperature to heat and cool underground pipes.

The temperature difference in the ground varies much less than the above ground air. This constant temperature means geothermal heating and cooling achieves the desired internal temperature in the home using significantly less energy than traditional air conditioning.

The technology involves a pump sending refrigerant through an underground transmission loop which is about 40-80 metres deep. During this journey, the refrigerant assumes the same temperature as the surrounding earth, which is much cooler than the air in summer and much warmer in winter.

When the refrigerant returns to the surface, most of the cooling or heating has already taken place.

In this system, the ground loops act as a condenser, removing the need for an external compressor. A heat pump is instead used, which is more efficient, quieter and safer. Inside the home, all the air conditioning components are the same as a standard ducted system. 

For further information please contact:

Paolo Bevilacqua
Sustainability Manager
Australand
Telephone: 02 9767 2000

or

Stephen Naylor
Wise McBaron Communication
Telephone: 02 9279 4770

About Australand:
Australand is one of Australia's leading diversified property groups. Its activities across Australia cover development of residential land, housing and apartments, development of and investment in income producing commercial and industrial properties and property management. Driven by a highly experienced team of people who put their customers at the heart of everything, the core values of the business are passionate, authentic, dynamic and respectful.