Geothermal Energy in Townhouses: Is Vertical Ground-Loop Installation Possible in a Small Garden?

The pursuit of energy efficiency and lower monthly bills has led many townhouse owners to consider geothermal energy. However, one question keeps coming up: “My garden is very small—can I really install a vertical ground-loop system?”

The short answer is yes. Thanks to vertical ground-loop technology and the compact size of today’s heat pumps, geothermal energy is not limited to large properties or detached mansions. In this article, we look at how this renewable energy source can be integrated into small spaces and why it is the ultimate solution for comfort in your home.

Why choose vertical ground loops for a townhouse?

Unlike horizontal ground loops, which require large areas of land to bury collectors at shallow depths, vertical ground loops (using geothermal probes) extend downwards to depths of between 50 and 150 metres.

• Space-saving: Drilling requires only a small area, similar to the diameter of a water well.
• Stable ground temperatures: At that depth, the temperature underground remains constant throughout the year (between 15°C and 18°C in Spain), allowing the heat pump to operate with exceptional efficiency whether it is snowing or there is a heatwave outside.
• Appearance preserved: Once the work is complete and the heat pump is connected, the garden can be covered again with grass or paving. There are no noisy outdoor units or components that disrupt the appearance of the façade.

Ecoforest’s solution for small spaces

For geothermal energy to be viable in a townhouse, it is not just the size of the garden that matters, but also the space inside the home. At Ecoforest, we have designed specific systems to address this challenge:

1. ecoGEO+ LITE 1-6 PRO: Our “ultra-compact” solution. At just 59 cm wide and 80 cm high, it is designed to fit into kitchen cabinets or small laundry rooms.
2. ecoGEO+ PRO (Domestic Range): These heat pumps use natural R290 refrigerant (propane), making them exceptionally efficient and allowing them to produce hot water at up to 75°C—ideal if you decide to keep your existing radiators during a renovation.
3. HTR (High Temperature Recovery) technology: Exclusive to Ecoforest, it makes it possible to provide heating or cooling and domestic hot water (DHW) simultaneously, using recovered heat so that your hot water is virtually free in summer.

The benefits of switching to geothermal energy in your townhouse

Installing a geothermal heat pump in a townhouse offers benefits that far outweigh those of gas or oil systems:

• Unbeatable efficiency: For every 1 kW of electricity consumed, the system delivers between 4 and 5 kW of thermal energy to the home (a COP of 4 to 5).
• Complete climate control: A single system provides heating in winter, active or passive cooling in summer, and hot water all year round.
• Solar PV integration: With the ecoSMART e-manager energy management system, you can combine the heat pump with solar panels to achieve zero energy consumption by storing surplus solar energy as thermal energy.
• Safety and quiet operation: Because the system is installed indoors and involves no combustion, it is completely safe to run while you sleep and exceptionally quiet.

Is the investment worthwhile?

Although the initial investment is higher than for an air-source heat pump installation because of the drilling, geothermal energy in townhouses has a shorter payback period than you might think, thanks to its greater efficiency and durability (the probes can last more than 50 years). In addition, numerous grants and subsidies are available for replacing fossil-fuel boilers with renewable systems.

If you have a small garden but big ambitions for saving energy, vertical ground loops are the key to turning your townhouse into a home of the future.