Enertech Blog

Contractors who install geothermal HVAC in housing developments seem to have the golden ticket. You hear them say things like:

• “One-off replacements are okay, but give me repeatable work with builders anytime.”
• “If I had to choose between chasing down jobs with homeowners or aligning myself with developers, I’ll take the developer hands down.”
• “The difference between surviving and scaling work is the difference between just taking a job or supplying a project. I choose projects.”

Working with developers can be lucrative, but accessing opportunities to install geothermal systems in planned developments requires building relationships. This takes time. State and regional geothermal associations can help. Here’s what you need to know.

ASSOCIATIONS: YOUR GATEWAY TO GEOTHERMAL INSTALLATIONS

State and regional geothermal associations work with the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSPA) and the Geothermal Exchange Organization (GEO) to advocate for state incentives, rebates, and building codes. They educate developers and builders and push for geo-friendly standards. In the process, they influence master-planned developments where one decision translates into dozens or hundreds of installs. A good example is NY-GEO in New York.

TRADE ASSOCIATION NY-GEO: CHAMPION FOR DEEP DRILLING

Before NY-GEO formed in 2014, New York held outdated regulations about deep drilling for geothermal. These restrictions hampered developers on two counts:

1. They had to follow rules established for oil and gas bore holes—rules meant to guard against adverse environmental impact even though geothermal drilling did not adversely impact the environment.
2. They had to apply deep drilling regulations on a per-bore hole basis. This extended project timelines and added costs to geothermal projects that required multiple boreholes.

Enter NY-GEO, advocate for new regulations. NY-GEO secured changes that allowed builders to use closed-loop boreholes in projects that required deep drilling—more than 500 feet. Deeper bore holes allowed installations on smaller site footprints in urban areas with denser populations. The change widened the market for developers of planned communities. One deep bore hole now did the job that multiple shallower bore holes did previously. More sites became viable and system installation costs dropped.¹

Wilder Balter Partners (WBP) took advantage of the new deep-drilling allowances. Their planned community—Station Plaza in Ossining, New York—is nearing completion. It includes over 100 affordable housing units and space for neighborhood services and retail. Dandelion Energy drilled the needed 600 feet to facilitate the installation of made-in-America heat pumps manufactured by Enertech Global.

Speaking more broadly at a press conference announcing the project, a representative from Dandelion said that for “almost every home in Westchester and the Hudson Valley”, a single deep borehole would support geothermal heating and cooling.ⁱⁱ That one deep borehole eliminated the need for multiple boreholes and all of the underground joints those holes required. Developers can now bid geothermal on projects in urban environments like Manhattan.

The bottom line? Contractors who engage with state and regional geothermal associations position themselves to benefit from newly viable project types. You can be that contractor.

9 WAYS TO UNLOCK GEO INSTALLATION OPPORTUNITIES WITH RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPERS

Try one or more of these ways to leverage your relationship with state associations and increase geo sales with residential developments.

#1 Use state associations to strengthen credibility
Become an active association member and ensure that your installers are IGSHPA-certified. Co-brand your proposals with statements like “Designed to IGSHPA standards” and “Supported by [state association] best practices.” This reduces perceived risk for developers, a significant barrier.

#2 Plug into the association’s builder and developer networks
Attend state association events and homebuilder association joint meetings. Ask for introductions to key builders and for speaking slots at builder events. These groups already aggregate your target customers.

#3 Co-create developer-focused education
Most associations focus on homeowners, but developers need different messaging. Work with associations to deliver “Geothermal for subdivisions” workshops or “Lot-by-lot versus shared loop economics.” Help create ROI calculators tailored to multi-family developments. In this way, you become the “go-to expert,” not just a vendor.

#4 Tap utility and financing partnerships
Associations often connect utilities, energy service companies, and financing programs. Leverage these to offer no/low-upfront cost geothermal and loop leasing models. This removes geo’s #1 barrier: upfront costs.

#5 Build “preferred developer” programs
Partner with associations to identify geothermal-friendly builders. Create pre-engineered system packages and standard specs by home type. Offer volume pricing. These practices can turn one sale into 50-200 homes.

#6 Use association data and research in sales
Pull these from market reports, energy savings data, and installed performance benchmarks. Use them in developer pitch decks, municipal approvals, and HOA/planning meetings. Third-party validations help you close deals faster.

#7 Position geothermal as compliance, not upgrade
With association backing, reframe geothermal as a way to meet electrification mandates, energy codes, and ESG goals. Help developers see geothermal more as compliance and less as the “premium HVAC option.”

#8 Collaborate on demonstration projects
Work with associations to launch pilot developments, document performance, and publicize results. These become repeatable sales tools for future developments. 

#9 Leverage workforce and training pipelines
Associations help train installers and standardize quality. Reference this training to assure developers of scalability. This helps you avoid the “there aren’t enough qualified installers” objection.

3 WAYS TO START PURSUING REPEATABLE MARKETS TODAY

State and regional geothermal associations can help you turn one-off jobs into repeatable markets. Get started today!

One, consult IGSHPA resources. They maintain directories of state/province geothermal associations. Even if your state doesn’t have a formal association, IGSHPA can connect you to regional groups, contractors and drillers, and industry leaders in your area.

Two, discover industry events where associations show up and plan to attend. Associations are most visible at IGSHPA annual conferences, GEO conferences, and state energy/utility events.

Three, call your state’s energy department to learn about “hidden” associations or working groups that operate as part of a state’s clean heat initiatives and electrification programs. Some groups function like associations even if they aren’t branded that way. Look for:

• “clean heat” or “building decarbonization” initiatives,
• advisory councils or stakeholder groups, and
• public meeting agendas and participant lists.