How does a geothermal heat pump work?

Geothermal heat pumps use electricity to heat and cool, just like a conventional heat pump. However, unlike a conventional heat pump, geothermal
heat pumps use the relatively constant temperature of the Earth as a source of heat in the winter and as a trap for heat in the summer. In the winter, the
fluid passing through the underground (or underwater) loops of piping is warmed by the Earth’s heat. The collected heat is extracted and concentrated by the
heat pump, and distributed through the building’s heating system. To cool the building in the summer, this process is reversed – the heat pump moves heat from
the indoor air into the underground loops, where it is transferred to the relatively cooler ground. The heat removed from the indoor air during the summer
can also be used to produce some of your hot water, or to heat swimming pools, instead of transferring it to the ground.