Adopting Ground Source Heat Pumps in Commercial Buildings: Nationwide Analysis of Energy Savings and Decarbonization Potentials

Abstract

While Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) have been recognized as an effective solution for improving the energy performance of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings, there is a lack of comprehensive research in the open literature that estimates and compares the benefits of the GSHP performance across various building types and climatic conditions. This study evaluated the impacts of GSHP adoption on energy efficiency and carbon emissions reduction across a range of building contexts and climate conditions. Using simulation tools with EnergyPlus and GLHEPro, a comprehensive nationwide analysis of GSHP systems, involving 320 models, was conducted. These models encompass two baseline building energy codes, ten different commercial building types, and sixteen distinct climate zones in the U.S. The results indicated that, depending on building configurations and climates, adopting GSHP could lead to approximately 29% savings in weighted energy use intensity (EUI) and 25% reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. These results underscore the potential of GSHP technology to advance sustainable building practices and support national efforts to mitigate climate change.