Sloth: Neglect Leads to Inefficiency and Cost

When it comes to Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) systems, “sloth” isn’t just about laziness—it’s about cutting corners during the design and maintenance process. Unfortunately, this leads to bigger problems like wasted energy, higher bills, and systems that can’t keep up with heating or cooling demands.

Skipping regular maintenance or relying on outdated rules of thumb to size a system can cause serious issues. For instance, a system that's too small won’t meet your needs, while one that's too large will waste energy and cost more to run.

The Right Way to Design a GSHP System

Want a GSHP system that works efficiently and lasts a long time? Follow these four essential steps:

1. Create a Detailed Energy Model: Use tools like Trane 3D+ or IES to predict how much heating and cooling your building will need every hour of the year.
2. Test the Ground’s Thermal Properties: Conduct a thermal conductivity test to find out how well the soil can store and transfer heat.
3. Simulate the System: Plug the energy model and soil data into specialized software (like GLD) to run simulations that predict system performance over a year and even 20 years.
4. Design the Ground Heat Exchanger (GHX): Use the simulation results to design the underground piping that transfer heat and make a detailed construction plan.

While this method works best, it takes time and money. That’s why some designers skip steps and rely on basic estimates—but these shortcuts often lead to poorly sized systems. Plus, even the best models can’t predict everything. Changing weather, building upgrades, or shifts in occupancy can throw off the system’s performance over time.

How Predictive Monitoring Can Help

Predictive monitoring keeps your GSHP system on track, even when things change. It uses real-time data to adjust the system to meet new energy needs and alerts you to potential problems before they get worse. By comparing the system’s current performance with the original design, predictive monitoring helps you spot and fix issues early.

This technology ensures your system adapts to changing conditions—like weather or building upgrades—so it runs smoothly year after year.

Avoiding sloth means staying proactive, from the design phase to daily operations. Combining detailed energy modeling with predictive monitoring ensures your GSHP system stays efficient and reliable, meeting your building’s energy needs for years to come.

Curious about other common pitfalls in GSHP design? Check out our "Seven Deadly Sins" series to learn more!