Energy Foundations - Potential for Ireland

With one of the highest energy dependencies in the European Union, Ireland
must adapt quickly to renewable energy technologies or risk paying the penalty in the
form of high energy prices in years to come. Escalating energy costs have led to a
renewed interest in alternative energy technologies and ground source energy is one
such resource which is being increasingly considered. This paper presents some of
the practical considerations of energy foundations, evidenced from the installation of
a number of test energy piles. In addition, a preliminary feasibility study of an energy
foundation system for a planned university administrative building and an overview
of the current status of ground source energy technology in Ireland are presented.
Building heating and cooling loads are estimated based on high building energy
standards which the university hopes to implement in all building projects going
forward. The proposed energy foundation system is shown to have the capacity to
provide the heating and cooling base loads for the building