The contribution of geothermal heat pumps in Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs)

The aim of this work is to analyse the energy contribution of a geothermal heat pump for heating and cooling in a Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) used as B&B, through a dynamic energy simulation software (DesignBuilder). The case study building is virtually located in two Italian cities with different climatic characteristics. The energy savings related to the use of the geothermal heat pump are evaluated, compared to both an air-to-water heat pump and a condensing boiler coupled to a chiller. In literature there are few comparisons between air-to-water heat pump and geothermal heat pump. The paper evaluates how much this technology is convenient for NZEBs, from an energetic-economic point of view.