Funded under the EU Horizon 2020 programme, in response to the call H2020-LCE-2017-RES-IA, topic LCE-17-2017. The project falls under the Innovation Action (IA) scheme and is coordinated by the National Research Council of Italy – Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (CNR – ISAC).
COORDINATOR
Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate – National Research Council (CNR – ISAC) – Padova, Italy
www.isac.cnr.it
Represented by Dr. Adriana Bernard
PROJECT PARTNERS
The project ran for a total duration of 68 months, from 1 April 2018 to 31 December 2023.
Project acronym: GEO4CIVHIC
Website: www.geo4civhic.eu
The primary aim of the GEO4CIVHIC project was to accelerate the use of shallow geothermal energy for heating and cooling systems in retrofitted buildings, especially those with historical value. The focus was on enhancing the performance, affordability, and ease of installation of Ground Source Heat Exchangers (GSHEs) and related systems. The project adopted a dual approach:
Technological Innovation:
Develop compact, efficient drilling systems suitable for urban and built environments
Improve GSHEs using co-axial heat exchangers in both steel and plastic
Innovate heat pump technology including dual-source, high-temperature, and low-GWP refrigerant models
Introduce semi-automatic feeders and vibration-rotation drill heads
Holistic Engineering and Decision Support Tools:
Create decision support systems for energy planning
Produce drilling maps and drillability assessment apps
Develop energy management tools for building control and RES (Renewable Energy Sources) integration
Raise awareness and provide guidance on optimal retrofitting strategies
The project achieved a wide range of technological and strategic innovations, including:
Vibration-rotation drill head and compact drilling machines
Semi-automatic feeder for enhanced drilling efficiency
Co-axial heat exchangers (steel and plastic)
Well-point adaptation for different geological conditions
Dual-source and two-stage high-temp heat pumps
Heat pumps using low to mid-term GWP refrigerants
On-site drillability assessment applications
European geothermal drilling maps
Decision support and user-guidance systems for energy savings
Optimized Building Energy Management (BEM) for integration with other renewable sources
ECOE TRAINING COURSE – SEPTEMBER 2023
On the 25th and 26th of September 2023, the European Centers of Excellence (ECoE) in Shallow Geothermal Energy organized a high-level scientific course targeting Master’s students, postgraduates, and PhD candidates with a keen interest in shallow geothermal systems.
The course was conducted in a hybrid format—both online and face-to-face—simultaneously across the headquarters of the four ECoE network member institutions:
ECoE – West Europe: Valencia, Spain
ECoE – Southern Europe: Padova, Italy
ECoE – Central Europe: Erlangen, Germany
ECoE – Eastern Europe: Oradea, Romania
Participation was open via registration form submission, and the course was delivered by a panel of distinguished scientists, seasoned researchers, and professors whose work has significantly influenced geothermal applications throughout Europe.
The curriculum was structured into four comprehensive modules, each lasting 2 hours and 30 minutes (two modules per day). The course emphasized advanced concepts and current practices in shallow geothermal technology.
Participation and Materials
More than 60 specialists took part in the event, all of whom received a Diploma of Attendance and access to a complete Training Tools Package, available at:
👉 https://geo4civhic.eu/training-tools-package
The training package includes:
A 7-volume training manual covering various technical and application-specific aspects of shallow geothermal technology
2 user manuals – one for decision support software and another guiding drillers on-site
2 brochures – a technical overview and one focused on applications in civil and historical buildings
All materials are available in 7 languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, and Romanian