Fort Whyte Alive

GEOptimize Inc provided ground heat exchanger (GHX) design and geoexchange system integration services for the FortWhyte Alive Buffalo Crossing Visitor Centre, a 23,000 ft², two-storey, high-performance facility targeting Passive House–level energy use and fossil-fuel-free operation. Working as part of the Stantec-led integrated design team, GEOptimize developed iterative hourly energy models to balance heating and cooling loads and align the mechanical concept with the performance requirements of a ground-source heat pump system. Multiple GHX configurations—including vertical boreholes, horizontal directional drilling, and a submerged lake heat exchanger—were evaluated for thermal performance, constructability, site constraints, and capital cost, leading to selection of the preferred approach and establishment of the mechanical basis of design.

The final scope included detailed GHX engineering design based on the calibrated building energy model and site thermal properties, including heat transfer fluid selection, pressure drop and pumping calculations, circuiting layout, header and manifold configuration, and material specifications. GEOptimize provided design inputs for construction documentation, developed the written GHX technical specifications, and participated in pre-construction coordination and construction-phase field review to verify installation and commissioning procedures. This work enabled a fully coordinated geoexchange system capable of meeting the project’s aggressive energy and carbon reduction targets while delivering a buildable, tender-ready design for the mechanical contractor