Celebrities - including THE Queen of England, are embracing (and installing in their own homes) Geothermal Technology! What does Brad Pitt have in common with the Queen of England? Both of them have joined the geothermal energy movement. Celebrities are recognizing the benefits of geothermal energy, perhaps the most efficient, cost-effective, and green energy available today. Read below to learn about how different celebrities have put geothermal energy to use, and contact BAIR Necessities for more information on Geothermal heating and cooling in Maryland. Celebrities who have invested in Geothermal Energy: 1. Queen of England In 2002, Queen Elizabeth II tested out geothermal energy by installing a smaller geothermal system to provide heating and air-conditioning for a new art gallery on the palace grounds. She was so impressed with the results that in 2005 the Queen decided to do the same for Buckingham palace. A closed-loop geothermal system, made by WaterFurnace, was placed below the surface of a four-acre lake and provides heating to state rooms and the formal area of Buckingham Palace. 2. Brad Pitt Brad Pitt is using geothermal technology in his project to build 150 homes in the hurricane-demolished area of New Orlean’s Lower 9th Ward. Pitt’s foundation, Make it Right, has already completed over 50 of these ecologically sound and storm-safe homes, which employ a combination of geothermal energy, solar panels, and rainwater collection systems. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, when Pitt’s homes are completed, they will compose the largest and greenest neighborhood of single family homes in America. 3. Leonardo DiCaprio Environmental enthusiast Leonardo DiCaprio decided to help rebuild the town of Greensburg, Kansas as a “green town” after it was flattened by a deadly tornado in 2007. The city council approved a resolution requiring all city building projects with a square footage over 4,000 feet to meet the highest rating of the U.S. Green Building Council. The buildings must use 42% less energy than current building code standards allow. The town plans to reach these goals by utilizing geothermal systems in all the buildings. 4. Former President George W. Bush President Bush’s famous Crawford Ranch in Texas is one of the most sustainable compounds in the country. The ranch is equipped with a geothermal heating and cooling system, allowing it to use a mere 25% of the energy it takes to power conventional homes. The ranch also utilizes a “gray water system,” where the home’s drain water is recycled and purified before it comes back into the home. The water is filtered into two areas – one for showers and bathroom sinks and the other for toilets and kitchen sinks. 5. Robert Redford Robert Redford has been a noted environmentalist and activist since the early 1970s and has served for over 30 years as a Trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Now the actor has employed geothermal systems to heat and cool the new conference center at his Sundance Resort in Sundance, Utah. This environmentally friendly building provides nearly 3,500 square feet of meeting space 6. Chevy Chase&Jayni; Chase Chevy and Jayni Chase founded the The Center for Environmental Education, and organization that promotes the building of “GREEN Community Schools” that use geothermal energy to heat and cool the buildings. Jayni Chase recently accepted a National Conservation Achievement award for her environmental education efforts. 7. Elton John and Richard Branson Following their queen’s example, both Sir Elton John and Sir Richard Branson have invested in geothermal systems for their personal estates. Elton John has been a longtime steward of the environment, playing charity concerts in support of the rainforest and offsetting the carbon footprint of his foundation, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, by purchasing Certified Emission Reduction (CER) credits. Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin Group, was selected as a “Hero of the Environment” by Time magazine. He also set up a Virgin Green Fund to focus on middle market growth and expansion investment opportunities in the renewable energy and resource efficiency sectors, including geothermal technology. Read more about this at: merchantcircle/blogs/Bair.Necessities.410-721-4142/2011/5/Movie-Stars-and-Politicians-Join-the-Geothermal-Energy-Movement/
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 19:24:47 +0000