ETI Headquarters First LEED Certified Building in Polk County

EarthLinked Technologies headquarters is Polk County’s first LEED certified “green” building

Lakeland Mayor Buddy Fletcher to make official proclamation on Monday

LAKELAND, Fla. -- The first building in Polk County to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council is also the headquarters for a company that manufactures a renewable energy system that uses energy from the earth for both space heating and cooling and commercial water heating.
EarthLinked Technologies is a manufacturer of a patented geothermal heat pump system that has been verified by the Environmental Protection Agency to save customers as much as 75 percent on energy costs. Its systems are currently in use in 47 states and 15 countries.
The company’s Lakeland headquarters received LEED certification due in large part to use of its own technology to heat and cool the building, according to EarthLinked Technologies CEO and founder Hal Roberts. Ten units installed at the facility counted as 20 percent of the points needed for LEED certification.
“We’re very proud of what we’re working on here, and the certification is just part of that,” said Roberts. “We believe that our technology can help Florida achieve the goals outlined by the State Legislature in the Energy Act of 2008, including economic development, energy and environmental savings, and positioning Florida as an energy efficiency and environmental leader.”
The company is also developing other energy saving innovations, including a cooling system that increases the efficiency and electrical output of solar photovoltaic panels by cooling them and using the excess heat to provide hot water in the process.
Last year, EarthLinked Technologies moved into the 30,000-square-foot, newly-designated green building designed by Lakeland architect, John Curtis, and built by Lakeland contractor, Rodda Construction.
EarthLinked Technologies was founded in Lakeland in 1980 as a research and development company by the former assistant managing director of Lakeland Electric, Robert Cochran, and Roberts, a former city attorney. In 1984, EarthLinked Technologies produced the most energy efficient water heater ever tested at the Florida Solar Energy Center. Ten electric utility field demonstration projects ensued from Florida to Michigan and Oklahoma, including one that earned the City of Lakeland and EarthLinked a joint Governor’s Energy Award.
On Monday, Lakeland Mayor Buddy Fletcher will present a proclamation to EarthLinked Technologies, recognizing it as the first LEED certified building in Polk County.
About EarthLinked Technologies, Inc.
Invented in response to the energy crisis of the 1970’s and continuously improved since that time, EarthLinked® systems have more than 100 million hours of service saving energy in homes, businesses and institutions around the world. They have been the subject of nine U.S. patents and successful performance testing by the U.S. EPA, the Florida Solar Energy Center and ten electric utilities. As verified by EPA, the EarthLinked commercial water heating system saves up to 75% of the electricity that would be used by an electric resistance water heater, with proportionate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
For more information contact:
http://www.earthlinked.com
Joe L. Parsons, VP
EarthLinked Technologies, Inc
jparsons@earthlinked.com
863-701-0096