Geothermal heat pumps in Prague
Overview
In the headquarters of the ČSOB bank in Prague completed in 2019 is considered one of the greenest buildings in Czechia and has been awarded a LEED Platinum certificate. This is thanks in part to its efficient heating and cooling system based on geothermal heat pumps.
The office building called South HQ is an extension to the first part of the ČSOB Kampus which was completed in 2007 and received much attention for its environmental friendliness at the time.
In order to keep the 1.400 employees working in ČSOB South HQ warm in winter and cool in summer, a total of 177 boreholes were drilled to a depth of 150 meters resulting in an over 26-kilometer-long system of underground pipes. Together with the connected heat pumps they form the largest geothermal heat pump system in the country. In addition to heating and cooling, the boreholes are used for thermal energy storage.
The use of the low-maintenance geothermal system reduces the running costs for the building and perfectly fits into the overall sustainable concept. Amongst others, ČSOB South HQ has its own rainwater harvesting system, an automated ventilation system and green roofs with local vegetation to help reduce the temperature in and around buildings.
Summary
Year of commissioning: 2019
Number of boreholes: 177
Depth of boreholes: 150 metres
Use: Heating and cooling
Size of building: offices for 1.400 employees
Certificates: LEED Platinum certificate for sustainable buildings
Sources:
The new headquarters of ČSOB will be built by the company HOCHTIEF CZ | HOCHTIEF CZ
ČSOB Group Social Responsibility and Sustainability Report 2022 (csob.cz)
Československá obchodní banka - biodiversity premises (biodiversity-premises.eu)
Budova centrály ČSOB v Radlicích: Úplně JINÁ bankovní budova (youtube.com)