The energy crisis scenario currently going on in Brazil, along with the need to reduce greenhouse emissions, lead to an urgent need to design buildings with greater energy efficiency. Shallow geothermal energy surges as a sustainable alternative to reduce the electricity consumption in buildings related to air conditioning and water heating systems. In ...

The use of shallow geothermal energy through energy piles for the air-conditioning of buildings is increasing worldwide. This type of renewable energy technology is still not utilized in Brazil, where the hot dominating weather regions and the air cooling demand predominate. In this case of unbalanced heat transfer to the ground, the efficiency of the s...

The worldwide consumption of electric energy destined for air conditioners, expected to triple by 2050, can be lessened by geothermal piles, which transfer heat from the internal environment of buildings to the subsoil. This paper shows the influence of pile geometry and properties of soil, pile, and pipe materials on the heat transfer of a geothermal p...