The temperature control systems using the natural insulation provided by earth, or soil, are generally known as geothermal heating systems. These geothermal systems are constructed by partly burying the structure under the ground, allowing for greater energy-efficiency due to reduced heat loss, which is a result of the natural insulation properties of the ground. Geothermal temperature control lends itself particularly well to be used in residential homes, due to their relatively small volume in comparison to their overall surface area.
The natural insulation provided by the ground decreases the leakage rate of heat, which often presents a problem for small houses with conventional heating and cooling systems. While during the autumn and winter months, the ground surrounding the underground structure acts like a thick blanket and keeps the heat well contained. In the spring and summer months, the ground shields the buried structure from the warming rays of the sun, preventing it from being heated up too much by them, and thus basically acting like a cooler.
The cost of constructing a home with geothermal temperature control does not necessarily have to be much higher than that of constructing a conventional home, as most conventional homes are typically at least in part built below the ground anyway, and the structure can be added as the foundations of the house are put into place. As a matter of fact, it is actually highly likely that savings will be made during construction, as not as much time and material will have to be invested in terms of taking measures to provide any additional insulation. Savings can definitely be made on future energy bills, because the heat retention of homes with geothermal temperature control generally tends to be much higher than that found within conventional homes.
A specific range of geothermal designs uses additional conduits, which are buried in the ground around the entire perimeter of the building. These additional conduits are used to regulate the air flow within the complete system. In addition, the conduits also assist in the dispersal of any air falling within in a specified, desired range of temperature.