scope:

Δ This Standard applies to direct-expansion ground-source heat pumps and unitary single-package or split-system liquid-source and ground-source heat pumps using groundwater, submerged heat exchangers, or ground-heat exchangers as a thermal source or sink for heating and/or cooling, with or without a supplementary heating source.

Δ This Standard applies to new and retrofit installations.

This Standard covers minimum requirements for equipment and material selection, site survey, system design, installation, testing and verification, documentation, and commissioning and decommissioning

Δ This Standard does not apply to standing-column-well earth energy systems.

For DX systems, references to water and/or antifreeze in this Standard do not apply because DX systems do not use water or antifreeze.

The values given in SI (metric) units are the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.

In this Standard, "shall" is used to express a requirement, ie, a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the Standard; "should" is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and "may" is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard. Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material. Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements. Legends to equations and figures are considered requirements.