Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING

Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva

Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR

HEATING AND COOLING

Copenhagen School of Design and Technology

Bachelor in Architectural Technology and
Construction Management

7th semester-Specialization
Report
Student: Elena Kalcheva

December 7, 2021 Page 1 от 31

Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

Table of content:

1. Abstract.............................................................................................. 3

2. Introduction......................................................................................... 4

2.1. Problem formulation.................................................................. 4

2.2. Argumentation........................................................................... 4

2.3. Structure.................................................................................... 4

3. Geothermal systems........................................................................... 5

3.1. Open loop systems.................................................................... 6

3.2. Closed loop systems………………………………………………… 7

4. Geothermal energy use...................................................................... 8

4.1. Advantages and disadvantages................................................ 8

4.2. Sizing and installation................................................................ 10

4.3. Operation and maintenance...................................................... 12

4.4. Cost........................................................................................... 13

5. Case studies………………………………………………………………… 14

5.1. Case study 1: Residential building………………………………… 14

5.2. Case study 2: Educational building……………………………….. 20

6. Prospects............................................................................................ 24

7. Conclusion.......................................................................................... 28

8. References......................................................................................... 29

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

1. Abstract

Geothermal energy is a sustainable and clean resource that can be used at every
location-from urban to remote. It is the energy contained in the heated rock and fluid that
fills the fractures and pores within the Earth's crust and originates from radioactive decay
deep within the Earth or from a solar gain.

Geothermal energy can be used directly or indirectly, depending on the temperature of the
geothermal resource. The technology is well proven, relatively uncomplicated, and involves
extracting energy via conventional wells, pumps, and/or heat exchangers. The simple
principle behind these highly efficient systems is that when the pressure of the fluid rises,
the temperature also rises and vice versa. In combination with hot-water storage tanks,
photovoltaics or forced-air systems, it can provide sustainable and cost effective radiant
heat, air-cooling and hot water.

There are two basic types of geothermal systems: closed loop and open loop. In the
closed loop the temperature of the earth is transferred as a heat exchange through a coil
filled with biodegradable antifreeze (such as glycol or methanol) into a heat-pump system.
The open loop system pumps surface water from a water well and then discharges it back
into the ground. It is more cost effective if certain soil conditions are in presence.

The geothermal systems have a great potential as a heating and cooling solution for the
buildings. This report explores the properties of the available solutions, their advantages,
limitations and requirements, the cost effectiveness and the aspects of sustainability related
with this energy source. The issues discussed in the paper can provide useful views and
arguments for designers, architects, HVAC engineers and other specialists that are
concerned with the quality of the living and the protection of the environment.

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

2. Introduction

2.1. Problem formulation

Geothermal energy has been used for centuries in areas with abundance of hot
springs. Nowadays the energy consumption is growing and so is the need for
energy sources that are sparing the environment. The latest geothermal
technologies are simple and cost effective alternative that can provide sustainable
heating, cooling and hot water in the buildings. The intent of this report is to explore
the operational principles of the basic geothermal systems and to review technical
characteristics, economical aspects and the range of application for the needs of
different residential and public buildings.

2.2. Argumentation

Recent technology advances has made the geothermal energy applicable within a
dramatic range. It can be the sustainable replacement of the traditional fossil fuels
methods for the supply of heating, cooling and hot water in the buildings. Their
operation is highly efficient and related with considerably less emissions of
greenhouse gases. Therefore the use of geothermal energy is both eco- and
socially sustainable.

There are a lot of variables when selecting the type of the system and its
components. Decisive are the soil type, the heated area, the heat losses of the
building, the overall energy demand and the limitations of the solutions that are
available on the market. It is the intent of the report to provide through theory and
case studies a ground for the design decisions that the constructing architects and
the HVAC engineers have to make when defining the HVAC system of the building.

2.3. Structure

The report starts with an introduction of the topic and continues with a section about
the different geothermal systems and their principles of operation. The next section
analyses the advantages and disadvantages of the different solutions, certain
technical properties, the maintenance and the economic issues. Then case studies
illustrate the theory so far. The last section provides review of the current and
expected geothermal energy development.

The information is obtained from:

 Internet
 Books and publications

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

3. Geothermal systems
Geothermal heating and cooling is a technology that for decades has been successfully
implemented in various building types. The basics have been developed fifty years ago and
until now many improvements have been introduced, mainly concerning the materials used,
the design and the installation methods as well as the efficiency of the pumps and the
compressors.

As the name implies, the system utilizes the thermal energy contained in the rock and fluid
in the Earth crust. A geothermal heat pump system consists of indoor heat pump
equipment, a ground loop, and a flow center to connect the indoor and outdoor equipment.
The heat pump equipment works like a reversible refrigerator that generates heat using the
ground temperature input. Special heat pump features can include variable speed blowers
and multiple-speed compressors. These features can improve comfort and efficiency in
areas where heating and cooling loads differ a great amount. Add-on features include the
capability to produce hot water.

In a heating mode the pump operates by

piping liquid through the ground loop. The
heat is transferred to the refrigerant which is
boiled to a low-temperature vapor. The
reversing valve sends the refrigerant vapor
to the compressor. The vapor is then
compressed which reduces its volume to
heat it up. Finally, the reversing valve sends
this hot gas to the condenser coil, where it
gives up its heat which is distributed through
the house. Then, the refrigerant passes
through the expansion device, where its
temperature and pressure are dropped
further before it returns to the first heat
exchanger, to begin the cycle again.
Fig. 1 Geothermal Heat pump-heating mode

The cooling mode can be a simple circulation of the ground loop liquid or, if necessary,
more or less the reverse of the heating mode. The reversing valve changes the direction of
the refrigerant flow. As the liquid refrigerant evaporates through the expansion valve, it
absorbs great amount of heat (latent heat of vaporization). Some of this excess heat can be
used to preheat domestic hot water.

The ground loop, that can be installed everywhere on the property, enables the heat
exchange between the earth and the heat pump. In general the systems can be open- or
closed-loop. According to a description on the Toolbase Services website1, open-loop
systems use well water as a heat source or heat sink, and afterwards, return the well water
into a drainage field or another well. Closed-loop or earth-coupled systems circulate water
and antifreeze solution, through the ground loop of pipe to extract the heat. They can be
installed in a vertical well or horizontally. The required length of loop pipe will vary with soil
type, loop configuration, and the system capacity. Loop length can range from 20 to 95

1
Material from [Link]

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

meters per kW of capacity. Vertical wells are usually more expensive and used where
space is limited.

3.1. Open loop systems:

In an open loop system the water from a

surface or underground source - a pond, lake
or well is pumped into the heat pump unit
where the heat is extracted and the water is
returned to the original source.

Open loop systems are exposed to the impact

of the source water which quality affects the
performance and durability of the heat pump.

The principal concerns with groundwater-source systems are corrosion, scaling,

encrustation and erosion. Proper operation depends on the implementation of
simple preventive actions in regard with the local conditions.

As described on the Alliant Energy-Geothermal website2 the following problems can

easily be avoided:

Corrosion
To prevent the occurrence of galvanic corrosion, which occurs when dissimilar
metals are used together, acceptable materials like copper, PVC, polyethylene,
polybutylene and rubber shall be used for the loop if the pipe in the heat pump is
copper. Iron and galvanized pipes are not adequate.

Scaling
Scaling occurs when minerals from the water build up on the inside surfaces of the
pipes and water-to-refrigerant heat exchanger in the heat pump. It reduces heat
transfer, increases pumping costs but typically do not occur in the heating mode.
The minerals that form the scale are normally present in the water and are released
when the water temperature rises or the pressure drops suddenly.

Scaling can be prevented by keeping all waterlines under pressure. The water
temperature must be limited from rising more than 20 degrees in the cooling mode
although most of the pumps do not rise the water temperature more than 10-12
degrees when cooling.

Encrustation

2
Material from [Link]

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

It is caused by iron bacteria and occurs mostly in the return wells as a orange-brown
slime. In order to prevent blocking of the system, the waterlines should be under
pressure and free of air-contact. The bacteria can be removed by periodic cleaning
with a chlorine bleach solution.

Erosion
The heat pump can erode, if the water is not free of sand or other particles. Some
manufacturers use a cupro-nickel heat exchanger because of its higher resistance
to abrasion. To reduce the content of sand in the system, a well screen and filters
between the pressure tank and the heat pump can be installed. A replaceable
cartridge is also an option.

It is recommended that a water sample is analyzed by a proper laboratory for pH,

high content of solids, iron, calcium etc. The lab can also calculate the Langelier
Saturation Index, which is a measure of corrosiveness. The possibility of change in
the water quality in time should also be considered before installation.

Open loop system malfunctions can cause ground water contamination or depleted
aquifers. Normally it is not economical to treat the return water so if water treatment
is required, it would be more cost-effective to use a ground-coupled closed loop
design.

3.2. Closed loop systems:

The closed loop systems circulate water or water and biodegradable antifreeze-
usually propylene glycol, methyl or ethyl alcohol, through a continuous underground
pipe. The loops can be installed in several ways:

Horizontal Closed Loop

Mainly used in new constructions where a lot of land is

available, it is the most cost-effective solution for small
installations. The pipe is inserted in trenches with
minimum separations of 0.3 m between pipes and 3 to 5
m between trenches. Up to six pipes, usually in parallel
connections, are buried in each trench, which can be
dug with backhoes or chain trenchers.

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

Vertical Closed Loop

Vertical closed loops are installed the when the soil is

too shallow for trenching or the land is not sufficient.

A U-tube (and, rarely, two U-tubes) is installed in a well

drilled 30 to 120 m deep. The lengths of the loop can
vary from 10 to 30 m per kW of heat exchange because
of the differences in the soil conditions. Usually in most
of the installations the pipes are connected in parallel
and multiple drill holes are required.

Pond Closed Loop

A pond closed loop is a special kind of closed loop

system. If there is a pond or stream with sufficient depth
and flow, closed loop coils can be placed on the bottom.
Fluid is pumped in the same manner as in a
conventional closed loop ground system. The figures
are very positive for environmental impact and also
show great economic advantages.

Slinky Loops

Increasingly, overlapping coils of polyethylene pipe are used to increase the heat
exchange per meter of trench. The trench length decreases as the number of pipes
or the overlap in the trench increases.3

4. Geothermal energy use

Geothermal systems can be used in residential, commercial and industrial buildings to

greatly reduce the consumption of electricity and fuels. Office buildings and schools are
particularly good applications for geoexchange technology.  They have relatively high
occupancy, fluctuating usage schedules, and widely varying heating and cooling
requirements within individual zones (offices and classrooms) that are difficult to meet
efficiently with conventional systems.  From Whisper Energy website can be obtained pros
and cons as follows:

4.1. Advantages and disadvantages

3
Material from [Link]

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

The geothermal systems have numerous advantages regarding:

 Low Operating Cost: heat pumps operating under moderate ground

temperatures have Coefficient of Performance (COP) from 3 to 4. It means
for every energy unit used, the pump will produce 3-4 units of heat. Thus
every 1 DKK el-cost for heating/cooling will be reduced three or four times. In
commercial installations, systems can save money by recovering excess
heat from building interior zones and moving it to the perimeter of the
building.

 Low maintenance cost: in both commercial and residential buildings.

Moreover, since the equipment is installed indoors or underground, it is not
exposed to vandalism or harsh weather conditions.

 No Supplemental Heat Required: except in colder climates the heat pumps

can meet all of the space loads, including ventilation loads. Ventilation air
can be tempered by separate heat pumps and/or conditioned with heat
recovery equipment.

 Low Cost Integrated Water Heating: The system can be designed to meet
hot water loads.  It is particularly attractive when there is a large cooling load
relative to the heating load.  By extracting some of the heat from the ground
loop for water heating, the ground heat exchanger size and cost can be
reduced.

 Very Low Environmental Impact: No fossil fuels need to be consumed on

site. 4 The operation is related with considerably less CO2 emissions:

• Oil (new): 265 g per kWh

• Oil (old): 330 g per kWh
• Natural gas (new): 200 g per kWh
• Natural gas (old): 250 g per kWh
• Electricity: 540 g per kWh
• District heating: 125 g per kWh
• Geothermal heat: ”180 g per kWh5

However, geothermal systems have some downsides to be examined:

 Higher initial cost: Geothermal systems tend to have a higher first cost than
the conventional systems. In the presented case studies there are stated the
rates to which expenses can rise, although the second one is an example of
system that was actually cheaper than the conventional one. The lower
4
Material from Whisper Energy
5
Lecture material from Finn Arne Pedersen

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

energy and maintenance cost during the systems’ life cycle also compensate
for size of the investment. Depending on the building type, system design,
operating parameters and energy costs, the simple payback for the marginal
cost of a geoexchange system usually is between 2 and 8 years

 Dependent: Open-loop systems have more potential problems than either

conventional systems or closed-loop geothermal systems because they bring
outside water into the unit. This can lead to clogging, mineral deposits, and
corrosion in the system. Open-loop systems also require a large supply of
clean water in order to be cost effective. This often limits their use to coastal
areas, and areas adjacent to lakes, rivers, streams, etc. In addition, there
must be an acceptable method of returning the used water to the
environment. This may be limited not only by environmental factors (such as
no suitable places to dump the water), but also by local and state
regulations.

Besides, in the same way that wind and hydro power rely upon certain wind
speeds and certain levels of water, geothermal energy relies upon an area
having a certain level of activity. Areas with very stable geothermal
properties (or very unstable, such as near a volcano) may not be able to
support a geothermal project. In areas where geothermal activity is present
but not at high rates, exhausting the supply of energy (at least temporarily) is
possible.

 Many closed-loop systems use an antifreeze solution to keep the loop water
from freezing in cold temperature conditions. Most antifreeze solutions have
very low toxicity, but many produce CFCs and HCFCs, that are not
sustainable. In addition, some antifreeze solutions can obstruct the work of
the system and add to the cost of pumping due to the increased fluid
viscosity.

 Refrigerant Loop systems have several other disadvantages, including:

Environmental issues related to the system's use of refrigerant, Corrosion
issues since they use copper piping which needs anodic protection, and the
need to maintain refrigerant temperatures within certain limits to keep from
freezing or baking the ground, Difficulty in finding and fixing a refrigerant loop
leak, should one occur.

 Since accessibility to terminal units is important in geothermal systems,

architects and mechanical and structural designers must carefully coordinate
their work. Each unit requires both electrical and plumbing service.

4.2. Sizing and installation

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

Geothermal heating and cooling equipment is readily available in the

marketplace and can be installed by any qualified HVAC contractor. The
manual from one of the biggest air conditioning manufacturers McQuay 6
gives a comprehensive picture of the process. It involves installing the indoor
unit, the distribution system (whether forced hot air or hydronic), and then the
outside pipe loop. Loop installation can be planned together with other
construction activities, so the overall construction schedule not to be
affected.

Heat pumps come in all shapes and sizes to meet space requirements.
Weight ranges from 500 to 30 000 kg. They can be located above the ceiling,
in a closet or in the occupied space.

Heat pump systems with properly designed ventilation systems provide very
good indoor air quality (IAQ). The units can be supplied with double-sloped,
cleanable drain pans and closed cell insulation.

Pic. 1 Small, packaged heat pump for single Pic. 2 Large ground source heat pump
family house, with DHW storage tank (ca. 400 kW) and manifold for larger
project
In the residential sector, typically the heat pumps are produced in larger
series and in standard heating capacities from ca. 5 to 20 kW are used.
Installations for the commercial sector including heat pumps, manifolds, are
much larger and have a capacity ca. 50 kW upwards that are usually
constructed individually or in smaller numbers, adapted to the specific site
6
2002, McQuay’s Geothermal Heat Pump Design Manual, McQuay International

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

conditions. The maximum delivery temperatures typically are between 50-

55°C (with new developments offering increased values of 60- 75°C for
refurbishment of older buildings), and in cooling mode ca. 6-7°C.

The purpose of the loop design is to estimate the required loop length. This
is best done with computer software, but a basic understanding of the
process is helpful. The designer uses the heating and cooling loads to define
energy transfer rates for sizing the loop. The design supply fluid
temperatures must also be estimated. The larger the loop for a known load,
the cooler the supply fluid temperature will be. Lower fluid temperatures
improve the heat pump performance and capacity. The designer must find a
balance between heat pump fluid supply temperature and the capital cost of
the ground loop.

At steady-state conditions, there is heat transfer from the heat pump fluid to
the ground that can be calculated as follows:

Qc = L(tg – tw)/R

Where

Qc is the heat load

L is the pipe length
tg is the ground temperature
tw is the fluid temperature
R is the thermal resistance to heat transfer

The challenge in loop design is that the ground temperature does not stay
constant. For horizontal loops, where the pipe is near the surface, the ground
temperature can change seasonally with the weather. In all cases, the loop
itself affects the ground temperature. For loop design, it is common to break
the effects into three parts: long term effect, annual effects and short-term
effects that have to be estimated to find the required pipe length. The length
may be established by the winter heating load requirement or the summer
cooling load requirement. If a winter peaking load establishes the length, the
designer should go back and evaluate the cooling performance with the
longer length. This will improve the summer performance and may allow
smaller heat pumps to be used for some spaces.

4.3. Operation and maintenance

The O&M key figures depend on the system and the building type, location,
system and the building size, year installed, service provider and etc.
Current surveys give a comprehensive picture of the average components

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

failures, the number of corrective actions- scheduled and unscheduled, and

how is this performance compared to that of the conventional HVAC
systems. To summarize survey data from Cane and Garnet paper 7, the most
frequent scheduled or preventive maintenance is change of filters, checking
the units, lubrication, fan belts, antifreeze concentration, fen motors, clean
refrigerator, clean evaporator, pressure, clean heat exchangers, back wash,
duct sanitizer, voltage and amperage checking and less often- refrigerant
change, thermostat calibration, isolation valve inspections, grilles cleaning
and water filters replacement. The failures of components occur mostly
within the compressors (at the average 0.53 and 1.30 corrective actions per
100 unit-years respectively for ground water and closed-loop system), the
blowers, belts and motors, refrigerant leak (average 2,58 corrective actions
per 100 unit-years for closed-loop systems), as well as within switches or
solenoids, thermostats and electric wiring, shaft seals, expansion valves,
piping and pipe materials (1,47 and 0,16 per 100 unit-years respectively for
open and closed-loop systems), insulation and within the hoses.
Transformers, reversing valves, air vents; heat exchangers and the line
dryers, sediment filters and etc. have negligible number of failures and need
for repair.

4.4. Cost

The initial cost of a geothermal heat pump system varies greatly according to
local labor rates, lot geology and size, type of system installed, and
equipment selected. In general the geothermal systems are more costly to
install than air source heat pumps. For either system, the cost of installed
ducts should be identical. Equipment costs can be 50-100% more expensive
for a geothermal heat pump system when the circulating pump, indoor
tubing, and water source heat pump are considered. This equals $1,000 -
$2,000 per kW for the equipment.

The ground loop is generally the most expensive component of a geothermal

heat pump system and is highly dependent on local labor rates and drilling
conditions. An installed ground loop stubbed out in a home can cost between
$300 and $850 per installed kW. Finally, experience shows that it costs
between $1,500 and $3,500 more per 1kW GHP system than for an air
source heat pump system8.

However geothermal heat pumps offer high efficiency and low operating
cost. According to the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency),
geothermal heat pumps can save homeowners 30 to 70 percent on heating

7
Cane, Douglas, Eng P, Garnet, Jeremy M., Update on Maintenance and Service Costs of Commercial Building Ground-
Source Heat Pump Systems
8
Material from Alliant Energy-Geothermal website

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

and 20 to 50 percent on cooling costs over conventional systems. This

information, as well as, reports that have been made by builders who monitor
their in-place systems indicates that heating and cooling savings can range
between $358 and $1,475, annually.

Maintenance cost are relatively low-in the US they are about $ 1,9 per
square meter unless there is an initial problem with the installation or a lack
of local maintenance providers. Table 1 from a Bloomquist’s report9 is a
comparison between the maintenance costs of geothermal and conventional
HVAC systems:

Table 1 Maintenance cost $/m2/Year

(# of data points)
Weighted average: GeoExchange Conventional HVAC Savings

All Web sites and $1.40 (13) $ 3.60 (15) 61%

Refferences
Building type
Schools $1.30 (10) $ 3.70 (11) 65%
Office buildings $ 2.70 (1) $ 3.40 (1) 21%
Retirement $ 1.00 (1) $ 2.50 (2) 60%
Prisons $ 1.50 (1) $ 4.80 (1) 69%
Conventional HVAC
Rooftop DX with gas heating $ 1.10 (1) $ 3.30 (1) 67%
Air source heat pump $ 1.10 (1) $ 3.00 (1) 63%
Water source heat pump $ 1.50 (4) $ 2.30 (1) 36%
Central variable air volume $ 1.10 (1) $ 3.50 (1) 69%
Four-pipe fan coil unit $ 1.70 (5) $ 4.00 (5) 58%
Two-pipe fan coil unit $ 80 (1) $ 3.10 (1) 74%

9
Bloomquist, R. Gordon, 2010, The economics of geothermal heat pump systems for commercial and institutional buildings,
Washington State University Energy Program

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

5. Case studies

The report presents two case studies that make evident the broad application range and
the flexibility of the geothermal systems. The data proves that these kinds of systems are
highly efficient (COP of 4 for the house) and have very short payback period. Both case
studies are also examples for easy maintenance and operation, although there are
concerns that the design of the school HVAC could have been more adaptive.

5.1. CASE STUDY 1: Residential building10

Raymond
Maine, USA - Ground-source heat pump

Summary
The building is a two-storey single-family house with cathedral ceilings and large glazed
areas located at Raymond, Maine, where the annual temperature differences are
significant. Instead of using town water, a water well supplies low cost heating and cooling
via a geothermal heat pump throughout the year. Two reversible water-to-water heat pumps
are run in parallel to share the overload from the common well pump in winter and summer.
The heat is distributed via a hydronic radiant floor heating system and fan coil units. The
overall measured COP of 4 includes the well pump and the circulators. The cost of space
heating is one third that for an oil-fired boiler. The heat pump system provides also useful
cooling. The performance of the heat pump has been continuously monitored since 1998.

Building and design values

Building type: Single-family house

Location: Raymond, Maine, USA

Year of construction: 1997

Number of storeys: 2

10
2004, Raymond house case study, Water Energy Distribution

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

Heated floor area (m2): 400

% of total floor area (%): 100

Design outdoor temperature (ºC) Heating -9 Cooling: 35

:

Design indoor temperature (ºC) Heating 20 Cooling: 24

:

Degree days Heating 4 230 Cooling: No data

:

Base temperature for degree days Heating 18 Cooling: No data

(ºC) :

Operational experience and other comments

The performance of the heat pump has been continuously monitored since 1998. The
radiant floor heat allows different water temperatures depending on outside temperature,
which gives a COP ranging from 4 to 5. The overall COP, including well pump and
circulators, was measured as 4. In the four years of operation there have been no reliability
problems. The only maintenance required involves periodic flushing of the supply water
filter.

Off-peak electricity with geothermal radiant heat from the pipes in the concrete under the
floor gives storage. This precludes heating at other than off-peak time.
The heating costs with the heat pump are three times lower than with an oil-fired boiler in
this part of the USA.  

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

Fig. 2 Raymond residence: System’s schematics

Heating and cooling

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

Application: Space heating and cooling and DHW

Heat pump type(s): Water-to-water

Heat pump installed capacity (kW) Heating: 24.7 Cooling: 24.7

Refrigerant: R22

Heat source Groundwater

Details (circulating pumps): Two heat pumps: 10.6 + 14.1 kW (3 + 4 ton) and two fractional horse
power (FHP) circulators.

a) Type of ground heat exchanger: Water/refrigerant, standing column well

b) Borehole depth (m): Well depth 237

c) Pipe length (m): Column length 190

d) Heat transfer fluid: Water

e) Flow rate (l/h): Well water at 3.23 l/kW (3 gal/ton). Total 4,800 l/h (21 gal/min)

Distribution system(s): Radiant floor/fan coils. The heating circulators supply radiant floor and
the fan coils for winter heat. The cooling is done in the summer only with
the fan coils.

1 1
Supply and return temperature (ºC) Heating: 43/- Cooling: 5.5/-

Auxiliary system: None required for geothermal radiant

100% heating. For DHW there is s desuperheater on only one of the heat
Heat pump design:
pumps.

Supplementary system: Back-up for DHW is propane-fired boiler

Heat pump system completion date: October 1997

1
Return temperature depends on the instantaneous loading. Depending on the month of the year the heating
temperature is varied.

Additional notes

The details of the well design:

 Static at around 9 m (30 ft)

 Well pump at 31 m (100 ft)
 Return pipe at 210 m (700 ft)
 Bottom of the well at about 229 m (750 ft)

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
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Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

This is a standing column well of about 183 m (600 ft) for 24.7 kW (7 tons) of heat pump
capacity, about 26 m/3.5 kW (85 ft/ton). When the heating system is running the total
measured power consumption for the well pumps, heat pumps, circulators, controls etc. is 8
kW. This gives a nominal 24.6 kW (84,000 BTU/h) heating.

There are several ways to configure standing column wells depending on the depth and
flow capacity of the well.

In this case the geothermal well is geothermal only and there is no concern of drawdown,
which might uncover the pump. As an economy move the pump was located near the top of
the well with the return to the bottom of the well. This saves a heavy duty copper wire to the
pump and simplifies the maintenance. Locating the pump at the top also works for
combined geo/domestic heater wells where there is a high capacity flow rate.

Typically in Maine, for lower yield wells of the order of about 7.6-15 l/min (2-4 gal/min) the
pump is located at the bottom for residential wells of up to about 152 m (500 ft).

In this installation the two heat pumps are run in parallel to share the overload from the
common well pump in winter and summer. The common hydronic storage tank controls the
water temperature from the separate heating and cooling aquastats on the tank.

Performance
 

Heating energy Heat pump Aux. heating 1

Auxiliaries
system

Energy input (kWh/year): About 16 000 - Included in “heat pump”

Energy output (kWh/year): About 48  000 - n/a

Energy cost (USD/year): 800 - Included in “heat pump”-

2
Cost tariff (USD/kWh): 0.05 - Included in "heat pump"

1 Circulation pump ground loop, fans, circulation pump heat distribution

2 On-peak tariff 0.26 USD: Monday to Friday 7.00-12.00 and 16.00-20.00, off-peak tariff 0.05 USD. Heating is
essentially at the off-peak rate of 0.05 USD because the storage is concrete and because of the control strategy. The
latter includes a time-dependent 2-stage thermostat approach for hydronic tank temperature control. It also includes
the differential temperature off-peak heat storage in the basement concrete.

Cooling energy Heat pump Aux. heating Auxiliaries

system

Energy input (kWh/year): 2 400 - Included in "heat pump"

Energy output (kWh/year): No data - n/a

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

Energy cost (USD/year): 240 - Included in "heat pump"

1
Cost tariff (USD/kWh): 0.1 - Included in "heat pump"

1 Average of peak and off-peak rates for cooling: level load average of 73% at 0.05 USD and 27% at 0.26 USD.
Cooling is supplied whenever needed both at peak and off-peak times. The cooling is automatically disabled during
the peak time. However, by manually overriding, cooling can be turned on during the peak time when it is really
needed.

Coefficient of performance (COP)

Heating: 4.6 and 4.0, for 14.1 and 10.6 kW heat pump respectively

Test conditions: Heat sink at 38ºC

Cooling: No data

Test conditions: No data

Heat pump cost breakdown

Heat pump only (USD): 5,431 (two heat pumps)

Installation (USD): No data

Capital cost (excluding heat pump)

No data
(USD):

Maintenance: No data

Alternative system (if has been

Propane boiler
considered)

Fuel cost 3 000 USD/year

Payback Estimated simple payback of heat pump system over a propane boiler is
about two years.

CO2 emissions No data

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
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5.2 CASE STUDY 2: Educational building11

CANYON VIEW HIGH SCHOOL
CEDAR CITY, UTAH

Location & Background: The Canyon View

High School is located in Cedar City, UT, about
90 miles (145 km) northeast of the point of
intersection of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. It is
a two-story building with 233,199 ft2 (21,665
m2) of floor space and construction was
completed in 2001. Average high temperatures
in the region in July are about 93°F (33.9°C)
and average low temperatures in January are
about 15°F (-9.4°C). There are approximately 6100 (3390°C-day) heating degree days and
700 (390°C-day) cooling degree days per year [65°F (18°C) base].

The Canyon View ground-source heat pump system is considered the first “large”
geoexchange system in the Central Rocky Mountain Region.

System Description
Ground Source System: The ground source system (Figure 1) is the vertical closed loop
type consisting of 300 vertical boreholes, each 300 ft (91.4 m) deep, for a total length of
90,000 ft (27,432 m). The boreholes, installed under the school playing field, are placed in a
15 x 20 grid pattern with a 20-ft (6.1-m) borehole spacing and 25-ft (7.6-m) spacing
between run-outs.

Fig. 3 Canyon View High School ground loop field

11
Geothermal direct use-case studies, 62-66, Geo-Heat Center, Oregon Institute of Technology Klamath Falls

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
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A single u-tube heat exchanger is installed in each borehole, and the borehole field is piped
in a reverse-return arrangement. The mean annual ground temperature in this location is
approximately 53°F (11.7°C). An in-situ thermal conductivity test revealed that the average
thermal conductivity of the soil to a depth of 300 ft (91.4 m) is 1.19 Btu/hr-ft-°F (2.06 W/m-
°C). The loop field was installed in basin-fill type sediments, consisting of coarse sand and
gravel with clay stringers and trace volcanic.

Interior System: The total installed heat pump capacity at the Canyon View High School is
approximately 550 tons (1953 kW). Space conditioning is accomplished by over 100 water-
air heat pumps, which are installed in ceiling spaces to serve individual classrooms and
other zones. Outdoor air is introduced through heat recovery ventilator (HRV) units. The
original design called for total energy recovery (ERV) units, but HRV’s were installed due to
their lower cost. There is little use of domestic hot water in the school, and thus it is
generated partially by water-water heat pumps and natural-gas water heaters. The fluid
distribution system consists of a central pumping system with a variable frequency drive.

Fig. 4 Canyon View High School interior system: headers and ceiling mounted water-air heat pump
Project Costs: The Canyon View High School is an example of a building where a ground-
source heat pump system was cheaper to install than a conventional boiler chiller system.

The project costs are summarized as follows:

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
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• Conventional Mechanical System Bid: $17.00/ft2 ($183.00/m2)

• Canyon View High School Ground Source System Bid:

Mechanical/Plumbing bid: $2,457,000

Loop Field bid: $778,000
Total Ground Source bid: $3,235,000
Mechanical Cost/ft2 (m2): $13.87/ft2 ($149.30/m2)
Cost Savings: $3.13/ ft2 ($33.69/m2) = $729,000

Additional cost savings may be realized if one considers architectural savings in the
mechanical room floor space in the ground-source system over the conventional system.
For the Canyon View High School, the mechanical room for the ground-source system is
2,680 ft2 (249 m2), or 1.15% of the total floor space. Comparing this value to 3.80% of
mechanical room floor space to total floor space for average schools, and assuming $50/ft2
($538/m2) cost of new construction, an additional savings of $309,000 may be realized.

System Performance and Operating Cost: The system has performed as designed.
Maximum ground loop temperatures observed in the summer are about 92 oF (33.3oC) and
minimum loop temperatures in the winter are 40-42 oF (4.4–5.5oC). Annual utility costs for
2001-2002 are summarized as follows:

• Annual Utility Costs for Canyon View High School:

Electricity: $135,886.54 (96%)

Natural Gas: $5,446.87 (4%)
Total: $141,333.41
Cost/ft2 (m2): $0.61/ft2 ($6.57/m2)

• Utility Costs for a Comparable School:

Cost/ft2 (m2): $0.86/ft2 ($9.26/m2)

(77% electrical, 23% gas)

• Operating Cost Savings: $0.25/ ft2 ($2.69/m2)= $58,300 (or 29%)/year

Operating Experiences: Although the geoexchange system at the Canyon View High
School is performing well, it is a large system, and the designer admits that there are ways
that the pumping system could have been designed to optimize energy consumption. For
example, systems of similar size are being designed with primary/secondary pumping,
multiple loop pumps to utilize only as much of the ground loop as necessary, and
distributed pumping in the building.

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

Most heat pumps are installed in ceiling spaces, and access has been a bit tight. Dirt and
sand was a problem in the system for about 6 months after start-up, which was attributed to
a damaged header pipe, likely caused by landscaping work.

Overall Summary:
Building Description:
Location: Cedar City, Utah
Occupancy: School
Gross Floor Area: 233,199 ft2 (21,665 m2)
Number of Floors: 2
Type of Construction: New
Completion Date: 2001
July Avg. High Temp.: 93°F (33.9°C)
Jan Avg. Low Temp.: 15°F (-9.9°C)
Annual Heating Degree Days: 6100°F-day (3390°C-day)
Annual Cooling Degree Days: 700°F-day (390°C-day)

Interior System:
Total Installed Heat Pump Capacity: ~550 tons (1,935 kW)
No. of Heat Pump Units: 100+
Pumping System: Central with VFD

Ground-Source System:
Geologic Materials: Basin-fill sediments
Mean Ann. Ground Temp.: 53°F (11.7°C)
Type: Vertical closed loop, single U-tube
Configuration: 300 boreholes (15x20 grid pattern)
300 ft (91.4 m) deep,
20 to 25 ft (6.1 to 7.6 m) spacing
Borehole per ton: ~164 ft/ton (14.2 m/kW)

Economic Analysis:
Installed Geothermal HVAC Capital Cost: $3,235,000 ($13.87/ft2)($149.30/m2)
Conventional HVAC Capital Cost Bid: $3,963,363 ($17.00/ft2)($183.00/m2)
Annual HVAC Energy Cost (2001-2002): $141,333 ($0.61/ft2)($6.57/m2)
Annual HVAC Energy Cost of Comparable Conventional School: $200,500 ($0.86/ft2), ($9.26/m2)
Annual HVAC Energy Savings: 29%
Estimated Simple Payback Period: Immediate

6. Prospects

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

The presented case studies exemplify two possible types of installation for two different
buildings typologies, but that is just a small fraction from all the application the geothermal
technology finds. At present the geothermal resources are used for electricity generation in
power plants, district heating, industrial process heat, agricultural and aquaculture
purposes.

According to Geothermal Education Office12 in every part of the world there are long
established traditions and/or emerging trends. Since geothermal energy is a complex
urban, industrial and economic issue, the development of this sector is showing great
variety by countries and regions. Nevertheless, by legislation and regulations the
governments are intending to protect the aquifers and prevent side effects like man maid
seismicity. Guidelines for the design and the proper operations are constantly updated, but
in Europe (and not only) “governments often lack clear energy policies and environmental
policy does not address energy sources but rather the mitigation of their effects. Geothermal
energy in general and geothermal resources in particular, is usually not well defined in legal
terms, and the regulation of their development and utilization is correspondingly diffuse”.13

Fig. 5 Geothermal capacity installed and potential 14

In EUROPE hot water from wells up to 1800m deep and 45-85 degrees and similar are
heating houses in France (1470 GWh/yr), Belgium (28 GWh/yr), Germany, Denmark (12.5
GWh/yr), as well as in Netherland and England where heating systems are tested. Another

12
Material from [Link]
13
2010, EGEC, Key issue 3: Regulations for geothermal energy, 7-8
14
Material from Islandsbanki’s sustainable energy team, Canada Geothermal Energy Market Report, 7

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
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field of exploration is Hot-Rock Projects that have been tested in England, France and
Germany, in order to figure out if water injected in the hot rocks can be heated
economically. Besides for dwellings in some regions in France, Germany, Austria and
Sweden heat pumps are extracting there are thermal spas. Still the strategies of the
authorities for future development are as various as the European countries itself. In
Denmark for instance there is positivism and legislation in place, but no incentives as public
funding for geothermal plants. The driving force is the market, where there are high taxes
on fuel heating and periods with lower prices for heating by electricity and power plants.
“The sale of heat to district heating systems is regulated to protect the customers against
the otherwise very strong position the limited number of local producers could have on local
price setting. Generally the price is thus only allowed to include certain well defined
elements as pay back of normal loans to necessary investments in plants, purchase of
fuels, maintenance.”15

In Switzerland on the other hand the fiscal barrier for the use of geothermal energy is very
low and the industry is very active in the promoting. One way to do it is invented by Swiss
EKZ (Electricity Company of Canton Zurich) which provides “Energy Contracting” or
otherwise the EKZ installs, owns, and operates the system in buildings and sells the heat (±
domestic hot water) at a fixed price to the owners. But if the geothermal installation involves
water as a heat carrier (as in the open loop systems), permit and concession are needed
according to the water management legislation, because shallow and deep ground water
belongs to the cantons.

Germany, ironically, lack political acceptance for the development of its geothermal
resources but some local governments are deviating from the official coarse and are
introducing financial incentives for the business. This is the reason why Bavaria, Baden-
Württemberg, Brandenburg and Nordrhein-Westfalen hold about 78 % of the heat pump
market with only 52 % of the population living there.

In EASTERN EUROPE there are thermal spas that have been exploited for hundreds of
years like the famous Czech thermal spas Carlsbad and Marienbad. In Czech Republic and
Poland hot water containing mineral salts from the crystalline rocks has long been used for
health and recreational purposes. In Bulgaria (220 GW/yr), in Hungary (1630 GWh/yr),
Slovakia (502 GWh/yr), Romania (360 GWh/yr), Poland (206 GWh/yr) and the former
Yugoslavia (1085 GWh/yr)16, hot water from 500 to 2000 m wells is used mostly used in
swimming pools, greenhouses and health spas. In Hungary most of the 80% of the
greenhouses (42 % of all the geothermal wells) are heated by geothermal waters, but only
3 % of the existing wells are used for space heating. Like in Switzerland, the geothermal
energy is a subject of the Water Management Law, however there has been complains that
it does not include any relevant terms and regulations. Environmental protection issues
have also been found perplexed. Similar is the situation in Bulgaria which is very rich in hot
mineral springs, but lacks administrative and practical expertise in geothermal development
in addition to very complicated and time consuming procedures for obtaining water
concessions.

In EASTERN AND SOUTHERN MEDITERRANEAN a complex plate boundary between

Turkey and Greece (37 GW/yr) forms several high-temperature geothermal prospects. The
Kizildere field in western Turkey operates since 1984 and a plant for dry ice is using CO2
15
2010, EGEC, Key issue 3: Regulations for geothermal energy, 28
16
Material from [Link]

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

from the geothermal wells for the Middle East. At Ankara, Izmir and other regions low
temperature springs (552 GWh/yr) are developed for heating and greenhouses. “It is
estimated that if Turkey utilizes all of her geothermal potential, she can meet 14% of her
total energy need (heat and electricity) from geothermal sources.”17 What can be a setback
is the lack of legislation particularly regulating the geothermal energy, nevertheless tax
exemption and third-party funding are present, in order to exploit the sector.

In Israel and Jordan hot springs (100Co) are used for bathing and heating. Israel produces
332 GWh annually. In Algeria (460 GWh/yr) and Tunisia (400 GWh/yr) the geothermal
energy is used for recreational and agricultural purposes.

ITALY has probably the most notable record in using geothermal energy for heating and
bathing. The Roman baths spread from North Africa to northern England, Spain and
Turkey. The fumaroles at the Campi Flegrei near Naples are so impressive that it is said to
have inspired the picture of Dante’s inferno. In 1904 the Larderello field in Tuscany
produced the world’s first geothermal electricity.

Today the country produces around 1120 GWh/yr or 0,65% of the total energy output that is
considered very limited part of what Italy could actually exploit. At Castelnuovo low-
pressure steam heats water for greenhouses and district heating. At Monte Amiata, a large
greenhouse complex is heated by waste heat from a geothermal plant. The greatest
development is expected in Tuscany, but many private developers naturally are interested
in the potential for spas across the country.

ISLAND has also been using for centuries its geothermal resources at the residential and
the agricultural sector. The country is a volcanic island with an abundance of high and low
temperature geothermal systems that produces around 5900 GWh/yr and heat 85% of the
houses. In Reykjavik, ("Bay of Steam"), the capital with more than 145,000 people, every
house supplied with hot water cheaper than the cold. There are plenty of hot baths, soil
heated crops, fish farming and industry that is based on the geothermal resources of the
country. New geothermal power stations are under construction and it is expected that the
country will double its geothermal capacity thus continuing to decrease its dependence on
imported fuels.

JAPAN is notorious for its volcanic activity that has been present for the last 20 million
years. The country is located on the Pacific ring of fire and has cold winters, during which
hot bath has become a national ritual. Today Japan is the world largest consumer of direct
geothermal heat with more than 8730 GWh/yr for bathing, with another 1940 GWh/yr space
heating, manufacturing, agriculture and aquaculture (including raising alligators). A long
term goal is 100 to 500 kW binary power plants for the small communities of mass
produced to a projected total of 23.7 MWe. In general the areas available for drilling are
small with no more than 40 MWe average.

UNITED STATES exploit the west coast boundary and the volcanic hot spots in
Yellowstone and Hawaii. The most geothermal electricity is generated in California (824
MWe) at the Geysers, still highly under its full capacity but nevertheless the world’s largest
operating field. There are numerous other little power plants and the direct use of
17
2009, Erdogdu, Erkan, A Snapshot of Geothermal Energy Potential and Utilization in Turkey, 1, Energy Market
Regulatory Authority, Republic of Turkey

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
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Management Class 7I
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geothermal energy is rising rapidly to 4000GWh/yr with a great deal of positivism towards
the technology. Hundreds of buildings are heated individually and through district heating
projects (Klamath Falls, Oregon; Boise, Idaho; San Bernardino, California etc.) Large
greenhouse and aquaculture facilities in Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico, and Utah use low-
temperature geothermal waters. The private Davenport University got certified by LEED
after installing geothermal system for heating and cooling and is one of the many examples
that this technology gives great advantage and its market is growing (even though US is
slowly focusing on wind power as a main green energy).

In CANADA, there are plans for geothermal power projects at Mount Meager. In Nova
Scotia factories are heated using water from the flooded Springhill coal mines. In the Yukon
geothermal protects city water pipes from freezing. More than 30 000 buildings including
Carleton University in Ottawa are heated directly or with heat pumps using 10-20 C o ground
water.

In RUSSIA the subduction boundary at Kamchatka is a part of the ring of fire and the only
place in Russia with geothermal electric power (11 MWe). Under construction is 80 MWe
plant at Mutnovsky and the waste water will be used to heat the town 80 km away. However
it can be expected that the traditional use of geothermal waters for district heating, wool
washing, greenhouses and production of paper and concrete blocks will make the most of
the emerging technology.

ANDEAN VOLCANIC BELT is thinly populated and the electrical demand is low, so the
geothermal resources are poorly developed. In Chile the first major geothermal project- El
Tatio- is realized by the United Nations in 1965 for the needs of a great copper mine at
Chuquicamata. Argentina has a power plant producing electricity, and the rest of the
geothermal megawatts are produced for heating and bathing.

There is an active rift EAST AFRICA RIFT SYSTEM that runs through Zambia, Malawi,
Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti and near six other countries. An
experimental 200 kWe electrical generator operates in Zambia, and at Olkaria, Kenya there
is a 48 MWe geothermal power plant and an additional 64 MWe one.” Intensive exploration
is under way in Kenya to increase electricity production to keep pace with population
growth. In dry parts of the area, nomadic tribes condense steam from fumaroles to water
sheep and goats.”18 South Africa is ready to introduce advance rating systems to boost
geothermal heating in new projects.

7. Conclusion

Geothermal energy is a clean and sustainable resource that has been developed the last
decades to find application in almost every type of building. Since it is very advantageous
both ecologically and economically, and available everywhere, its potential is great, even
though that in the developing countries the initial cost is still a barrier. The design and
18
Material from Geothermal Education Office

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

efficiency are constantly being improved along with the gain of experience; in most of the
world in process is proper legislation and regulations.

For heating and cooling there are two principle types of systems-open and closed loop.
Some principle concerns like source water quality, maintenance and runoff management
make the closed loop more advanced solution, but the open loop is still a good and more
affordable option provided that the site conditions are suitable.

The system design can be very flexible due to the variety of manufactured components.
Heat pumps are produced in a great variety of sizes and can be installed at different places
in the building. Geothermal system mechanical rooms require very little space for circulating
pumps, the main header and some chemical treatment equipment which leaves more
space for occupant needs.

The performance of the installed geothermal pumps is a subject of various surveys. Two
case studies-with relatively small and relatively large size and capacity have been quoted in
this report. They provide measurable evidence for the adequate operation of the
installations at a significantly lower cost than that of a conventional HVAC system. It is also
important that the service supply proves to be fuel-independent, stable and flexible. The
biggest advantage of the geothermal systems is their efficiency-they use up to 60% less
electricity than a conventional system which depending on the consumption results in return
of investment within 2 to 8 years.

At present the geothermal systems are used to heat homes, swimming pools, greenhouses,
and health spas. They are having place both in the industry and the agriculture. In remote,
off the grid locations often they can be the only smart solution. In the urban context to make
the balance between large district projects and individual systems will be a challenge for
urban planners, architects, as well as for the engineers and researchers in the next twenty
years. It can certainly be concluded that the geothermal energy can provide the buildings
with advance modes for heating and cooling, thus representing another important trend in
the pursuit for sustainable living.

8. References

Literature:

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Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

» Ryker, Lori, 2007, Off the grid homes. Case studies for sustainable living,
Gibbs Smith  

Internet

» Energy Training for Europe, accessed 26-02-2010

<[Link] >

» Wisper Energy, accessed 28-02- 2010

<[Link] >

» Geothermal Education Office, accessed 28-02- 2010

<[Link]

» Toolbase Services, accessed 28-02- 2010

<[Link] >

» Alliant Energy-Geothermal, accessed 28-02- 2010

<[Link] >

» Natural resources Canada , accessed 10-09-2010

<[Link]
_Heat_Pump_Section4.cfm>

Publications

» Bloomquist, R. Gordon, 2010, The economics of geothermal heat pump

systems for commercial and institutional buildings, Washington State
University Energy Program

» 2004, Raymond house case study, Water Energy Distribution

» 2005, Geothermal direct use-case studies, 62-66, Geo-Heat Center, Oregon

Institute of Technology Klamath Falls,

» 2002, McQuay’s Geothermal Heat Pump Design Manual, McQuay

International

» Cane, Douglas, Eng P, Garnet, Jeremy M., Update on Maintenance and

Service Costs of Commercial Building Ground-Source Heat Pump Systems,
Caneta Research Inc

» 2010, EGEC, Key issue 3: Regulations for geothermal energy, 7-8

December 7, 2021 Page 30 от 31

Copenhagen School of Design and Technology GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FOR HEATING AND COOLING
Bachelor in Architectural Technology and Construction student: Elena Kalcheva
Management Class 7I
Specialization Report

» 2009, Erdogdu, Erkan, A Snapshot of Geothermal Energy Potential and

Utilization in Turkey, 1, Energy Market Regulatory Authority, Republic of
Turkey

» 2010, Islandsbanki’s sustainable energy team, Canada Geothermal Energy

Market Report, 7, Islandsbanki

» Lecture materials from Finn Arne Pedersen

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