Using geothermal
energy in office buildings
Fig. 1
S
hallow geothermal energy is being used increasingly often in
new office buildings. The advantage of this renewable energy
source is that the ground can be used alternately for both
heating and cooling purposes, depending on the season. The use of
geothermal energy has been further promoted by the German
Renewable Energies Heat Act (EEWärmeG), which has been in force
since the start of 2009 and provides for the partial use of renewable
energy sources for heating and cooling new buildings and for water
heating in new buildings. Shallow geothermal energy can be used
very efficiently in combination with heating and cooling systems that
operate at a temperature level close to that of the ground. In heating
operation, the heating energy supplied by ground-source heat pumps
is between three and five times the drive energy. Free cooling in
summer is even more efficient, as electrical energy is only consumed
by the circulation pumps. Annual system coefficients of performance
ranging between 10 and 35 can thus be achieved. Many of those
involved in this comparatively new area are still relatively inexperi-
enced with the technology available. These systems are very sensitive
to errors and faults because of the low temperature differences
between the ground and the heating/cooling equipment in the building.
䊳 Accompanying measurements and
monitoring during operation can help
systems to achieve their planned efficiency
䊳 A balance between the heat input
and output will ensure that seasonal
geothermal heat storage systems operate
successfully in the long term
䊳 Control strategies must be planned in
detail and adapted during operation
Reinforcement cage for a foundation pile: The integration of heat exchanger
pipes means that geothermal energy can be used in the building.
Faulty operation can reduce the current efficiency of the system, and
can also affect its performance in the years to come. A research
project conducted by the Institute of Building Services and Energy
Design (IGS) at the Technical University of Braunschweig and supported
by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology has
investigated the energy efficiency and economic efficiency of eleven
buildings that use borehole heat exchangers, energy piles or ground
absorbers. The project also involved the optimisation of operation
of five of the systems evaluated. One of the goals of the project was
to develop operating rules based on the experience gathered. A similar
project supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and
Technology and concentrating on well systems and borehole heat ex-
changer systems is also being conducted by the Technical Equipment
of Buildings Section at the Institute of Design and Building Construc-
tion at the Leibniz Universität Hannover. This project’s monitoring
programme covers nine buildings where systems operation will be
examined and optimised. This will provide a basis for improving
planning tools for the design of system components located in the
ground and for specifying measurement and control details for shal-
low geothermal systems.
䊳 Heat and cold from the ground
Fig. 2: Principle of seasonal storage / active regeneration
Winter
Temperature of
ground storage
20 °C
Heat
extraction
4 °C
Heat pump
operation
The ground is characterised by its capacity
for storing heat and its relatively constant
temperature level over the course of the en-
tire year. There are various possible means
of harnessing shallow geothermal energy
for heating or cooling purposes, depending
on the ground conditions and the type of
building foundations. This can be achieved
using heat exchangers alone, which may also
be integrated into building elements that
are in contact with the ground, through
which a heat transfer fluid circulates or else
directly using ground water.
Geothermal energy can be brought up to
heating temperature using heat pumps in the
winter, and excess heat can be removed from
the building to the ground using free circu-
lation in the summer months. These systems
are subject to various conditions imposed
by the authorities, depending on the German
federal state and the authority involved.
䊳 Monitoring results
Two research projects – Storage of heat and
cold in the ground (German abbreviation:
WKSP) and Thermal monitoring of non-
residential buildings (TherMo) – are inves-
tigating the use of shallow geothermal energy
under service conditions in non-residential
buildings. The systems being examined
differ in terms of their geo(hydro)logy,
technical complexity, the fraction of demand
covered, and their redundancy.
WKSP research project
The energy yield of the geothermal heat
storage systems varies from facility to facil-
ity. The amounts of heat extracted during
heating operation correspond roughly to
the planned values with a few exceptions,
whereas the heat influx in summer deviates
strongly in certain cases.
Initially, hardly any of the systems exam-
ined was being operated efficiently. This is
demonstrated by annual system coefficients
of performance of less than 3 on average for
heating and cooling operation; values of up
to 10 should actually be attainable here.
The systems themselves and the operation
of these systems were optimised as part of
2 BINE projektinfo 07/10
Fig. 3: Heat regime in upper
layers of ground*
Solar radiation
Precipitation approx. 1,000 W/m²
Summer Winter
Heat radiation
HP
Heat Heat ±0m
influx extraction Flow of ground water
– 10 m
Neutral zone
(approx. 10 °C)
– 20 m
Time Thermal
Storage Free cooling Storage Heat pump conduction
operation through rock
The most common geothermal energy sys- Geothermal heat flow Temperature increase
tems are as follows: 0.05 – 0.12 W/m² approx. + 3 K per 100 m
– 100 m
■ Borehole heat exchangers: *as per VDI 4640, Sheet 1
Individually or as an array of exchangers,
right beside or below the building at a The long-term functioning of these systems
depth of between 50 and 150 m. is dependent on the ground regenerating
■ Energy piles: Heat exchanger pipes itself – i.e. approaching the undisturbed
integrated into the building’s foundation ground temperature again – sufficiently
piles, which are necessary for structural quickly. The flow of ground water con-
purposes. Depth of between 10 and tributes to this naturally. Active regenera-
30 m. Length and quantity determined tion as provided by heat influx in summer
by static considerations. (building cooling) alternating with heat ex-
■ Ground absorbers: Horizontal pipe traction during the winter (building heat-
loops in or underneath the foundation ing) is particularly necessary for storage sys-
slab, similar to underfloor heating. tems with no flow of ground water. If this
Heat-transfer surface already defined. regeneration is not sufficient, the tempera-
■ Direct use of ground water: ture level of the ground will change to such
Supply well pumps ground water an extent that the system will suffer from a
through a heat exchanger, water that has significant drop in efficiency and may also
been “thermally exploited” is returned become problematic from an ecological
through an injection well to the ground viewpoint.
water layer.
Fig. 4: Comparison of the projects
Research project WKSP TherMo
Project participant Technical University of Braunschweig Leibniz Universität Hannover
Project duration 07/2004 – 02/2010 09/2007 – 09/2011
Buildings investigated 11, with 5 of these subject 9
to more detailed measurement
Planning not planned as part of a research not planned as part of a research
project, good energy efficiency was project, very good energy efficiency
a target was generally not a target
Commissioning 2002 – 2007 2001 – 2009
Gross floor area (GFA) 4,500 – 81,000 m2 7,400 – 54,000 m2
Geothermal energy use 4 x borehole heat exchangers, 3 x borehole heat exchangers,
5 x energy piles, 6 x well systems
2 x ground absorbers
Heating heat pump, heat pump,
supplemented by district heating, supplemented by district heating,
gas, CHP plant, exhaust air heat pump gas condensing boiler
Heat transfer concrete core temperature control, concrete core temperature control,
ceiling panels, supplemented by static underfloor heating, static radiators,
radiators, air-conditioning systems supplemented by ventilation
Cooling free cooling, free cooling, reversible heat pump
supplemented by chillers, cooling (direct cooling), supplemented by
tower or desiccant cooling system chillers (hybrid coolers, dry coolers)
Cold transfer concrete core temperature control, concrete core temperature control,
ceiling panels, cooling ceilings,
air-conditioning
air-conditioning systems systems, recirculating coolers (servers)
Ventilation natural, mechanical natural, mainly mechanical
Average heating and cooling
powers (geothermal) 50 – 350 kW 300 – 1,500 kW
 Fig. 5: Annual system coefficients of performance for geothermal heat storage systems ure of the heat pump in one instance. Else-
2005 – 2009 (WKSP) where the transfer systems, e.g. for concrete
core activation, did not work properly as
Facility Borehole heat exchanger Energy piles Ground absorbers they had been installed incorrectly. There
10 were also difficulties with the operation of
Annual system coefficient of
performance for heating and cooling

Energy supplied (heating and cooling)

9 Annual system coefficient of performance = wells and borehole heat exchangers, such as
Electrical energy consumption incl. circ. pump
8 leaks in the exchanger array or failure of the
7 production pump caused by earth faults.
6 The control systems were also not set up
5 optimally in most cases.
4 The relevant authorities rarely checked the
3 monitoring strategy that they had pre-
2 scribed for ground water use during the
1 construction phase and final acceptance for
0 the buildings investigated. The measurements
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
required during operation were often in-
complete, or else temperature limit values
monitoring with the result that all systems nificantly despite similar building functions were not being adhered to. For this reason,
have been achieving annual system coeffi- and similar use of geothermal energy with the authorities even demanded that one of
cients of performance of between 3 and 7 high fractions of demand covered. The the systems be shut down for a period.
since 2007 (Fig. 5). annual system coefficients of performance Even small inaccuracies in measurements
For many of the systems investigated, free determined so far are around 7 for a facility can have a strong impact on the measured
cooling operation has not yet been used or has with borehole heat exchangers in heat and energy balance as these systems operate on
only been used in a limited manner. The rea- cooling operation (alternating operation). the basis of very small temperature differ-
sons for this were incorrect operating policies, Based on initial predictions, the energy effi- ences. The standard temperature transducers
overheated ground, and system components ciency of individual systems can be in- generally used by the control systems in
that were not adapted for the low tempera- creased by up to 30%. Final comparative measuring temperatures have an error tol-
ture differences between the heat sink and evaluations are not yet possible as the meas- erance of +/–1 kelvin and can result in ener-
the building cooling system. There is still urement phase of this research project is gy balances that are incorrect by up to 36%.
scope for further optimisation here. still in progress. However, monitoring has As part of the project, the accuracy of tem-
already helped to identify problems and perature measurements was increased for
TherMo research project optimise operation in a number of cases so far. three of the buildings and the possible
The overall primary energy consumptions The configuration of several systems was measurement error for the temperature dif-
of the buildings investigated vary quite sig- not favourable, which even led to total fail- ference was thus reduced to 11%.

䊳 Experience gathered in service

Planning changer pumps. In the case of more com- accompanied by measurements and optimised
Heating and cooling loads can be minimised plex systems, careful prior consideration until regular operation is achieved.
by suitable architectural design, well-insu- should be given to defining the relevant
lated facades, sun protection measures and envelope boundaries for the calculation of Other conclusions drawn by the resear-
ventilation strategies. Only then are systems coefficients of performance so that heat chers with regard to control:
that operate with a small temperature dif- amounts and electricity consumptions can ■ Storage systems should be commissioned

ference with respect to the ground able to be recorded correctly. during the heating period in order to
provide efficient heating and cooling. In or- Given the small temperature differences create a larger heat sink for free cooling
der for the heat or cold from the ground to present (heat source side 3–5 K), the tem- in summer.
actually reach the building, system compo- perature sensors must be calibrated very ■ Chillers should be commissioned at the

nents for geothermal energy use such as accurately in order to deliver an exact heat end of this season if possible, when the
heat exchangers, pumps and hydraulic yield balance. If included in planning at an cooling potential for free cooling has
switches must be carefully designed. The early stage, the measurement points neces- been exhausted – otherwise it is often no
heat pump and, if present, the well pump sary for the heat yield balance and for the longer possible to cool the ground stor-
should be capable of operating with partial monitoring required by the authorities can age system back down to the temperature
loads in order to be able to adapt flexibly to be integrated into the building control level required for free cooling.
demand – for example, by employing level systems that are generally already present. ■ Inefficient operation of concrete core

switching or a frequency converter. A ther- As a rule, these systems should then store all activation in the transitional periods in
mal simulation is useful when designing relevant measurement data. spring and autumn should be avoided
larger systems. by employing a “dead range” (neither
Control system heating nor cooling) depending on the
Measurement equipment Once the requirements demanded of the average outside temperature.
A certain minimum amount of measure- building and equipment have been fulfilled, ■ Optimal coordination of control

ment equipment is the basis for successful- the efficiency and success of the use of strategies with a combination of slow-
ly controlling and monitoring operation in geothermal energy depend on a suitable acting and fast-acting transfer systems –
the long term. Alongside temperature sen- control strategy. In general, this control otherwise heat extraction from the
sors, this also includes meters to measure strategy should include and coordinate all ground by means of slow-acting building
the amount of heat/cold delivered and elec- items of heating and cooling equipment element activation will be lower than
tricity consumption measurements for heat present. The overall philosophy should be required and assumed during planning.
pumps, well pumps and borehole heat ex- checked in detail, and operation should be

BINE projektinfo 07/10 3

䊳 Conclusion PROJECT ORGANISATION

■ Project Funding
The experience gathered in these research projects demonstrates that shallow geother- Federal Ministry of Economics
and Technology (BMWi)
mal energy is essentially well-suited for providing temperature control in office and 11019 Berlin, Germany
administration buildings. With a suitable design and the right operating policy, sig-
Project Management Organisation Jülich
nificant energy cost savings and CO2 reductions are possible compared to conventional
Research Centre Jülich
heating and cooling systems. This is dependent on the size, efficiency and degree of Rolf Stricker
utilisation of the system. 52425 Jülich, Germany
However, almost all of the buildings examined that are using this relatively new tech-
nology still show up weaknesses in planning, design and, in particular, in terms of control ■ Project Number
and operation. Building operators are often not very conscious of geothermal energy 0327364A, B
systems in everyday operation when these systems are working properly or else serve
to supplement the performance of other redundant systems. Operation monitoring is IMPRINT
a good idea because it increases efficiency and also helps to avoid downtime. The inlet
and outlet temperatures of the geothermal heat storage system and the amount of heat ■ ISSN
0937 – 8367
extracted and fed-in should be monitored here as a minimum. In this way, deviations
from regular operation can be detected at an early stage and the necessary measures ■ Publisher
FIZ Karlsruhe
can be quickly implemented.
76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen
It is generally necessary to adapt the building strategy and the equipment and control Germany
strategy to account for geothermal energy use. A high quality standard must be adhered
■ Copyright
to during planning and construction in order to ensure the energy efficiency of systems, Text and illustrations from this publication
thermal comfort in the building and the long-term functioning of systems. A sufficient can only be used if permission has been granted
number of accurate measurement devices are necessary in order to monitor operation. by the BINE editorial team. We would be
delighted to hear from you.
After detailed acceptance and commissioning, an initial adjustment phase of around
two years is then necessary. The system should be accompanied by measurements during ■ Editor
Dorothee Gintars
this time so that it can be adjusted for the real framework conditions and so that the
interplay between the building, the geothermal energy systems, other temperature control
equipment and the building users can be optimised. If contractors and system operators
have insufficient experience, this phase may turn out to be significantly longer. BINE Information Service
Guidelines for the harnessing of geothermal energy in office buildings by using borehole Energy Expertise
heat exchangers, energy piles and ground absorbers have been developed based on the
experience gathered as part of the WKSP project. These guidelines will be published BINE Information Service provides infor-
as a BINE technical book. mation on energy-efficient technologies
and renewable energy.
Using a combination of free brochures,
the BINE web site (www.bine.info), and
a newsletter, BINE shows how innovative
PROJECT ADDRESSES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
▼
▼

research ideas hold up in practice

WKSP accompanying research Internet (in German).
• TU Braunschweig • www.enob.info BINE is an information service by
IGS FIZ Karlsruhe, which is promoted
Franziska Bockelmann, Herdis Kipry Literature (in German) by the Federal Ministry of Economics
Mühlenpfordtstrasse 23 • Erdwärme für Bürogebäude nutzen. and Technology (BMWi).
38106 Braunschweig, Germany FIZ Karlsruhe. BINE Informationsdienst,
www.igs.bau.tu-bs.de Bonn. Stuttgart: Fraunhofer IRB Verl.,
WKSP cooperation partner (erscheint 1. Quartal 2011). 160 S., 1. Aufl.,
• Meteocontrol GmbH, ISBN 978-3-8167-8325-1, 29,80 Euro
Energy & Weather Services BINE-Fachbuch
Spicherer Strasse 48
86157 Augsburg, Germany Picture credits
WKSP cooperation partner • Background photo p. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 5 and FIZ Karlsruhe, Büro Bonn
• TU Braunschweig background photo p. 4: IGS, Braunschweig
Kaiserstrasse 185 – 197
Institut für Grundbau • Fig. 1: Katzenbach, Darmstadt
53113 Bonn
und Bodenmechanik • Fig. 3: LUH, Hanover
Germany
Gaußstrasse 2
38106 Braunschweig, Germany Service Tel.: +49 228 92379-0
TherMo accompanying research • This Projektinfo brochure is also available Fax: +49 228 92379-29
KERSTIN CONRADI · Mediengestaltung, Berlin, Germany

• Leibniz Universität Hannover, as an online document at www.bine.info

under Publikationen/Projektinfos. bine@fiz-karlsruhe.de
Institute of Design and
Building Construction Additional information in German, www.bine.info
Gunnar Harhausen, such as other project addresses and links,
Matthias Wohlfahrt can be found under “Service”.
Herrenhäuser Strasse 8
30419 Hannover, Germany
www.iek.uni-hannover.de
Kooperationspartner TherMo
• UBeG GbR,
Dr. Burkhard Sanner
Zum Boden 6
35580 Wetzlar, Germany

4 BINE projektinfo 07/10