United Church on Meadowood

GEOptimize Inc was retained by the United Church on Meadowood to evaluate the feasibility of replacing the existing end-of-life natural gas heating system at the 14,000 ft² facility with a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) system and to assess options for expanding air conditioning to serve the entire building. A detailed, calibrated hourly energy model was developed using historical utility data, occupancy patterns, and building system characteristics to define accurate heating and cooling loads and to establish the technical and economic basis for geothermal implementation. The modelling process was used iteratively to test energy efficiency measures and mechanical system strategies that improve annual ground energy balance, reduce peak loads, and minimize the size and cost of the ground heat exchanger (GHX) while improving long-term system performance and maintainability.

Multiple GHX configurations were evaluated based on site constraints, local drilling conditions, and available land area, including shallow and deep vertical borefields, horizontal directional drilling, and open-loop well concepts. The feasibility study provided budget construction costs, lifecycle operating cost comparisons to the baseline system, and financial metrics such as simple payback, net present value, and return on investment to support capital planning. Following acceptance of the preferred approach, GEOptimize developed the detailed GHX design, including circuiting and header layouts, runout piping to the building, heat transfer fluid specifications, pressure-drop and pumping calculations, and integration with the selected heat pump equipment and existing distribution system. The project also included contractor tender support, construction coordination, and commissioning-phase site review to ensure quality installation and long-term performance.