Geothermal Heating and Cooling: Technology and Applications
DISCLAIMER
Before purchasing, review the rules of your licensing or certifying entity. It is your responsibility to confirm this course meets your CE requirements. See the credit tab on the course page for details.
What’s Included: Full webinar recording, written course materials, expert instruction, a mandatory quiz, and a certificate upon completion.
Deliverability Timeline: All courses are generally available within 1-2 weeks after the live presentation.
CE Credits: AIA and/or LA/CES accreditation is available by request for courses recorded prior to March 11, 2026. All courses after that date include those accreditations by default, if applicable. With these accreditations, our courses qualify for credit in nearly all states for engineers, surveyors, architects, and landscape architects.
Learn more about the on-demand format in our FAQ or contact us at (715) 835-5900 or customerservice@halfmoonseminars.org
Agenda
Registration: 8:00 – 8:30 am
Morning Session: 8:30 am – 12:15 pm
Lunch (On your own): 12:15 – 1:15 pm
Afternoon Session: 1:15 – 4:30 pm
Geothermal Heat Pumps and Indoor Thermal Comfort
Understanding the refrigeration cycle
The effect of air flow and insulation
How comfort is measured
Understanding efficiency
Understanding Earth Loop Systems
Architecture of closed loop systems
• Horizontal ground loops
• Vertical ground loops
Applications for open loop systems
• Single well
• Two-well systems
Evaluating topography
Measuring soil conductivity
Environments for ground-loop systems:
beneath yards, fields, parking lots, and buildings
Designing Geothermal Systems
Determining loop type
Making heat loss calculations
Sizing the unit
Sizing the loop
Alternate geothermal designs
Choosing System Components
Basic components of geothermal heat
pump systems: pump, compressor, heat exchanger
Forced air systems
Hydronic systems
Domestic hot water options
Evaluating the Benefits of Geothermal Systems
Incentives to use geothermal
Measuring performance
Calculating savings and cost
Environmental benefits
Tax credits, incentives and rebates
Geothermal Case Studies
Credits
Professional Engineers
6.5 Continuing Ed. Hours
Architects
6.5 HSW CE Hours
6.5 AIA LU|HSW
Contractors
Non-Credit Continuing Ed.
Continuing Education Credit Information
This seminar is open to the public and offers 6.5 continuing education hours/PDHs to professional engineers and 6.5 HSW continuing education hours to architects in most states. Educators and courses are not subject to pre-approval in Michigan.
This course has been approved by the American Institute of Architects for 6.5 LU|HSW (Provider No. J885). Only full attendance can be reported to the AIA/CES. Visit www.halfmoonseminars.org to view complete AIA information under this course listing.
This seminar offers contractors a non-credit continuing education opportunity. It has not been approved by any state contractor licensing entity with a continuing education requirement.
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the seminar for most individuals who complete the entire event. Attendance certificates not available at the seminar will be mailed to participants within fifteen business days.
Speakers
Don Steeby
Professor of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration at Grand Rapids Community CollegeMr. Steeby is a professor of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration at Grand Rapids Community College. He has taught full time with GRCC since 2007. Mr. Steeby has also taught as an adjunct professor for Ferris State University in Construction Management. He received his bachelor of science degree in HVAC/R Applied Technology from Ferris State University, and his master’s degree in Career and Technical Education also from Ferris State University.
Mr. Steeby has worked in the HVAC field since 1985. He has held positions in many areas of the industry including installation, service, sales, and project management. Mr. Steeby has worked for a local manufacturer of HVAC equipment for over five years, and he was employed by Honeywell for 11 years.
He holds a mechanical contractor’s license with the State of Michigan, and he has several nationally-recognized certifications including installation and service of geothermal equipment with North American Technician Excellence (NATE). Mr. Steeby is also a certified trainer and installer of geothermal heat pumps through the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA). He has been actively involved in the geothermal industry for many years including writing software to size loop links and working on several commercial geothermal installations. In 2011, he published his book Alternative Energy – Sources and Systems through Cengage Learning which includes chapters on geothermal systems.
AIA Info
AIA Provider Statement:
HalfMoon Education Inc. is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number J885. All registered AIA/CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider of learning program may be sent to AIA/CES (cesupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3).
This learning program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA/CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.
Course Title: Geothermal Heating and Cooling: Technology and Applications
Delivery Method: Live
Course Description: This 6.5 hour live lecture presentation covers geothermal heat pumps and indoor comfort, earth loop systems, geothermal system design, system components, and the benefits of geothermal systems.
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1:
Learners will be able to explain the geothermal system refrigeration cycle and how it can efficiently increase indoor thermal comfort.
Learning Objective 2:
Learners will be able to differentiate geothermal closed loop and open loop systems and discuss the criteria for selecting which system is appropriate for particular sites, including topography, soil conductivity, and nearby structures.
Learning Objective 3:
Learners will be able to discuss design considerations for geothermal systems, including sizing the loop, sizing the unit, and making heat loss calculations, and they will be able to select system components for particular designs.
Learning Objective 4:
Learners will be able to explain the benefits of geothermal systems, including available monetary incentives and the environmental benefits.
LUs: 6.5 LU Type: LU|HSWs.
Prerequisites: Experience with HVAC systems.
Advance Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Course Expiration Date: 3/10/2022
Complaint Resolution Policy:
Complaints regarding this course can be emailed to doug@halfmoonseminars.org or by calling (715) 835-5900. A HalfMoon Education representative will respond within 72 hours to resolve the complaint, which will include, but not limited to, access to another CE activity at no or reduced cost, or a full or partial refund. Each instance will be resolved on a case-by-case situation.