Ground Source Heating & Cooling Solutions: A Case Study in a Dense Urban Area Using Energy Foundations-Paper

Paper

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The paper examines energy foundations as a way to provide efficient heating and cooling in dense urban areas where conventional geothermal boreholes are difficult to install. The approach embeds geothermal loops in structural foundations and connects them to ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs), often alongside air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) to meet the building’s full thermal demand.<br /><br />The case study is 555 Greenwich, a 14-story commercial building in Lower Manhattan. Its system uses geothermal loops installed in 63 drilled caissons, with the energy foundations expected to supply up to 40% of the building’s heating and cooling needs. The hybrid GSHP–ASHP system supports the project’s all-electric design while reducing reliance on electricity compared with less efficient alternatives. The system became operational in autumn 2023, with monitoring used to track temperatures, foundation performance, and system operation.<br /><br />The authors emphasize that successful projects require early coordination among designers, foundation and mechanical contractors, and building-management teams. Accurate hourly energy modeling is important for sizing the ground loop, while careful loop placement, protection, and pressure testing help prevent damage before concrete is poured. Long-term monitoring and appropriate controls can help maintain ground temperatures and match system operation to actual building loads.<br /><br />Because energy foundations use infrastructure already required for structural support, they can make geothermal heating and cooling feasible where site space is limited, with little impact on construction schedules. The paper encourages developers and foundation contractors to consider them as a practical route to lower-carbon, more energy-efficient buildings.

Keywords

energy foundations

geothermal loops

ground-source heat pumps

air-source heat pumps

all-electric building

Lower Manhattan

caissons

hybrid HVAC system

commercial building

sustainable construction