Foundation Slabs as an Energy Geo-Structure in a Moderate Climate
Date Issued
2024
Abstract
Shallow geothermal energy is a type of Renewable Energy, used in dwellings through the
employment of Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs). GSHPs are coupled with the Ground Heat
Exchangers (GHEs), which are responsible for the heat transfer to/ from the ground. GSHPs have not
seen a major advancement in terms of wide implementation, as compared to other Renewable Energy
Systems, due to the higher costs associated with them. However, the use of the foundation elements
as GHEs, can contribute in a significant reduction of the costs and investment. This study
computationally investigates the use of an Energy Geo-Structure (EG) system, namely the foundation
slab, of a residential dwelling in Cyprus, using the COMSOL Multiphysics software. A single-family
house was designed in accordance with the typical Cyprus construction elements for nearly Zero
Energy Building (nZEB) characteristics. Initially, the heating and cooling loads were estimated and
used as inputs to analyse the performance of the proposed system. The system under examination
demonstrates steady performance and relative high Coefficient of Performance (COP) values, making
it a viable renewable energy source solution for building integration.
employment of Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs). GSHPs are coupled with the Ground Heat
Exchangers (GHEs), which are responsible for the heat transfer to/ from the ground. GSHPs have not
seen a major advancement in terms of wide implementation, as compared to other Renewable Energy
Systems, due to the higher costs associated with them. However, the use of the foundation elements
as GHEs, can contribute in a significant reduction of the costs and investment. This study
computationally investigates the use of an Energy Geo-Structure (EG) system, namely the foundation
slab, of a residential dwelling in Cyprus, using the COMSOL Multiphysics software. A single-family
house was designed in accordance with the typical Cyprus construction elements for nearly Zero
Energy Building (nZEB) characteristics. Initially, the heating and cooling loads were estimated and
used as inputs to analyse the performance of the proposed system. The system under examination
demonstrates steady performance and relative high Coefficient of Performance (COP) values, making
it a viable renewable energy source solution for building integration.
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