Developer takes green leap

By Matthew Hoekstra - Richmond Review
Published: July 29, 2011 10:00 AM
Updated: July 29, 2011 10:55 AM

Before drilling holes 60 metres deep for a high-tech geothermal system, developer Clive Alladin contacted a Coast Salish elder to bless the land.

“We did that not only to respect the land, but to respect the First Nations people,” he said. “This house is going to be forever tied to this land through that energy system.”

Alladin’s company, Richmond-based Balandra Development, is building a single-family home equipped with a geothermal heating and cooling system—without a buyer waiting in the wings.

That’s a first for Richmond, he said.

Developers usually consider such a project a risk, since geothermal systems can cost two to three times as much as conventional systems.

“We thought about it for a long time, but never found the right project because it’s very cost-prohibitive,” said Alladin. “Someone needs to get the ball rolling, and we feel we’re in a position right now to do that.”

He took the green plunge with a 3,400-square-foot house he’s building on Springhill Crescent, a West Dyke property that boasts commanding views of Sturgeon Banks. The property will also have a 550-square-foot garage and a host of environmentally-friendly finishes. It’s scheduled to be finished by year’s end and will carry an estimated price of $3.5 million or more.

Although the Balandra home may be the first geothermal house for the open market here, the green system has been employed elsewhere in Richmond, including the Hamilton fire hall and BCIT Aerospace Campus.

The geothermal system works by capitalizing on the earth’s temperature of approximately 10 C. A series of liquid-filled underground pipes pick up heat from the earth, and it’s extracted by a compressor for heating space and water. The system can also be reversed to provide cooling, and the only operating cost to homeowners is the electricity required to operate the equipment.

Exchangenergy is the firm contracted to install the geothermal system. Company principal Jeremy Jacob said the majority of his installations are in custom homes built to an owner’s specifications.

“The way that we sell it is on payback,” he said. “These systems typically pay for themselves in 10 years and after that you’re banking the operating cost savings, and over the life of a home, that becomes very significant.”

Jacob said a growing population in the region will continue to put upward pressure on energy costs, making geothermal systems that much more attractive.

But they’re still “few and far between” in single-family homes because of the high initial cost, according to geothermal expert and University of B.C. professor of mining engineering John Meech.

Balandra Development is spending $65,000 for the system on its Springhill Crescent property.

Meech said the payback period for a geothermal system varies from seven to 12 years. Creating district heating systems—such as one being installed in Richmond’s redeveloping Alexandra neighbourhood—brings down the cost.

“The long-term cost-savings are enormous,” he said. “In the long run, it’s the cheapest energy on the face of this earth.”

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