Patent ID: 8424590

Claim:
A building structure configured to use geothermal heat transfer to supplement climate control inside the building structure, said building structure comprising: an exterior wall; an interior wall defining at least a portion of a dwelling area, wherein the interior wall and exterior wall are positioned so that a substantially continuous gap is formed between the interior wall and the exterior wall, wherein the interior wall includes a roof structure adjacent to the external roof structure, a subsurface heat exchanger in fluid communication with said gap; and a circulating system for circulating air through the heat exchanger and gap to allow the air temperature in the gap to approach that of the subsurface temperature in the area around the heat exchanger, wherein the circulating system is located adjacent to the heat exchanger and wherein the circulating system and the gap form a loop such that the air in the gap does not enter the dwelling area and is not recirculated once it enters the gap.