The journey from a niche market to a highly respected market takes a lot of work. Geothermal contractors were doing just that as they discussed how to better market their industry when they gathered in Las Vegas for the 2013 International Ground Source Heat Pump Associations’ (IGSHPAs) technical conference and expo.

A follow-up to the Geothermal HVAC: Green Heating and Cooling undergraduate textbook is the graduate-level textbook Modern Geothermal HVAC: Engineering and Control Applications.

The day-long event included a variety of comprehensive, hands-on opportunities for participants to learn about and observe all aspects of a geothermal system — from equipment specification, to loop-field drilling and trenching, to system controls programming.

The allure of energy efficiency across multiple HVACR sectors is aiding in the rise of contractor interest in variable-refrigerant flow (VRF) technology. 

Charles Machine Works Inc. has recently developed horizontal directional drilling equipment that is being used in the growing geothermal industry.

There is a big upside to passion — it is contagious. How much better is a work environment where the leader truly believes in the product? 

The North American geothermal market claimed $102.8 million in revenue in 2012, and is expected to reach $147.6 million by 2017, according to Frost & Sullivan, a San Antonio-based market research and analysis firm.