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Ground Source Heat Pumps Ideal for ... New builds Full Refurbishments Indoor Swimming Pools Residential and Commercial Properties Download this info sheet > Free assessment >

Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) explained

The underlying concept is much like a fridge in reverse: using coiled pipes buried in trenches heat is
extracted from the ground, then improved by evaporation and compression with a refrigerant acting
as the transfer medium in the cycle. The only prime energy required is the power to circulate the
refrigerant.

Designed to work most efficiently with space heating through wet systems (preferably under floor
heating or oversized radiators), ground source heat pumps can also provide domestic hot water to
50°C. At a lower efficiency however, an immersion heater is required within the hot water cylinder
to ensure a temperature of 60°C is achieved to control legionella.

Are they right for you?

Ground source heat pumps are compact units. They run at lower flow temperatures than
conventional boilers and thus insulation levels are important and should be at least those
recommended by current building regulations.
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When combined with underfloor heating in a well-insulated property, the heat output is four times
the electrical input power. This is called the coefficient of performance (ie. COP 4:1).
No buffer tank is required as the heat pump can be sized to provide a 100% of a building’s heat
requirement and cuts out any need for an expensive immersion heater back-up.

Heat pumps are a very cost effective means of providing space heating and can also be used
effectively to heat indoor swimming pools.

Deciding on types and options - site requirements

Trenches are dug across a calculated area. This area is referred to as a horizontal ground array. For
every 1 kw of output needed from the heat pump, approx. 10 linear metres of ground array are
required.

This can also be achieved through a borehole whereby approximately 20 vertical metres of bore is
required for every 1 kw of output needed. Refered to as borehole ground array.

East Green Energy use a coil/slinky ground array which has 5m of coiled pipe in each linear metre,
eg. a 50m long trench bears 250m of pipe. This can either be laid upright at a depth of 2m or flat at a
depth of 1.25m depending on soil conditions. The trenches need to be 5m apart. If domestic hot
water is required an extra slinky is necessary.

Planning considerations

East Green Energy recommends that you always check with your local planning department prior to
any works taking place, particularly as the ground array may fall outside the curtilage of the
property.

Winning efficiency

If radiators are to be used with this low flow temperature however, they will need to be
approximately double in size. When domestic hot water is provided at 50°, the COP reduces to 2.5:1.

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