Heat networks can be an effective way of supplying low carbon heat to buildings. Current UK systems are largely based on fossil fuel Combined Heat and Power (CHP). Such systems may likely be unacceptable in the long term, if the levels of decarbonization visualized in the UK are to be attained. Heat networks are best suited to areas with high heat demand density such as big cities. This paper demonstrates that Underground Railways (UR) could be an attractive year round heat source and presents numerical investigations into the interactions between these systems.

Ground source heat pump system can reduce energy consumption and CO2 emission of heating, cooling and hot water supply system in buildings. The capacity of ground heat exchanger is subjected to the restriction of the building or site area and this leads frequently to the situation where the amount of heat supply from ground heat source does not balance the heat demand by whole the building. A heat source water supply network was designed and installed between two actual buildings in Japan.

Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) have significant potential to reduce carbon emissions. The performance of heat pumps is highly dependent on their interaction with the ground and specifically the extraction and injection of the heat. A number of literature reviews has shown how the performance of GSHP systems vary in practice when compared to the theoretical aspects. This paper provides detailed investigative work on heat metering installation difficulties and associated errors which affect the long term practical performance of GSHP systems and identifies a range of installation errors.