Economic feasibility analysis of the application of geothermal energy facilities to public building structures

Abstract

This study aims to present an efficient plan for the application of a geothermal energy facility at the building structure planning phase. Energy consumption, energy cost and the primary energy consumption of buildings were calculated to enable a comparison of buildings prior to the application of a geothermal energy facility. The capacity for energy savings and the costs related to the installation of such a facility were estimated. To obtain more reliable criteria for economic feasibility, the lifecycle cost (LCC) analysis incorporated maintenance costs (reflecting repair and replacement cycles based on construction work specifications of a new renewable energy facility) and initial construction costs (calculated based on design drawings for its practical installation). It is expected that the findings of this study will help in the selection of an economically viable geothermal energy facility at the building construction planning phase. © 2014 by the authors.