U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Federal Energy Management Program
Generic Guide Specifications for Geothermal Heat Pump System Installation
These guide specifications were developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to assist Federal agency sites and engineers in the preparation of construction specifications for geothermal heat pump (GHP) projects. The guide specifications are in the industry-standard Construction Specification Institute (CSI) format and cover several of the most popular members of the family of GHP systems. These guide specifications are applicable to all GHP projects, whether the financing is through conventional appropriations or is arranged by GHP specialty energy service companies (ESCOs) under the U.S. Department of Energy's Technology-Specific GHP Super Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs), by utilities under Utility Energy Service Contracts (UESCs), or by generalist ESCOs under the various regional ESPCs.
These specifications can provide several benefits to the end user that will help ensure successful GHP system installations. The GHP guide specifications will help to streamline the specification development, review, and approval process because the architecture and engineering (AE) firm will be working from the familiar CSI format instead of developing the specifications from other sources. The guide specifications help to provide uniformity, standardization, and consistency in both the construction specifications and system installations across multiple Federal sites. This standardization can provide future benefits to the Federal sites in respect to both maintenance and operations. GHP guide specifications can help to ensure that the agency is getting its money's worth from the GHP system by preventing the use of marginal or inferior components and equipment. The agency and its AE/ESCO do not have to start from scratch when developing specifications and can use the specifications as a template and/or a checklist in developing both the design and the contract documents. The guide specifications can save project costs by reducing the engineering effort required during the design development phase.
Using the Generic Guide Specifications
Use of these specifications for any project is strictly optional and at the discretion of the responsible party in charge. If used as a construction specification master template for GHP systems, these specifications must, in all cases, be edited to apply to the specific project in question and to reflect the site-specific conditions relevant to the project. There is no guarantee of accuracy or applicability with respect to any portion of these specifications and the user assumes all risk associated with the application of the information contained in this document.
Download the Generic Guide Specifications
Some of the following documents are available as Adobe Acrobat PDFs. Download Adobe Reader.
The files listed below contain the CSI-format technical specifications, with engineering standards, data sheets, and opening pp that can be edited to build a construction specification package for your specific site/project. These files may also be used as a checklist when reviewing construction specifications developed by others.
To help you determine which specifications you may need, Table 1 (MS Word 50 KB) identifies specifications typically used for Vertical Bore Ground Heat Exchanger, Horizontal Ground Heat Exchanger, Surface Water Heat Exchanger and Groundwater with Plate Heat Exchanger applications. This table is also found in specification 00050. You will need to edit these specifications to meet your specific needs and to include additional site-specific specifications as necessary.
Downloads By Division
You can preview the Generic Guide Specifications for Geothermal Heat Pump System Installation (PDF 4 MB, 500 pp).
The files for editing can be downloaded individually below or from one self-extracting file (ZIP 3.2 MB).
Opening pp (MS Word 29 KB)
File includes:
- Cover pp
- Introduction (for guidance only)
- Construction Specification Package Table of Contents
- Signature pp
DIV 15 TOC
Eng Stnds |
Table of Contents - Engineering Standards
(MS Word 21 KB) |
| ES-2.2-1 |
Nameplates, Tags, and Labels for Instrument Assemblies and Components (PDF 16 KB, 4 pps) |
| ES-4.5-2 |
Pipe Hangers - General Notes (PDF 1 MB, 14 pp) |
| ES-4.5-3 |
Pipe Support Spacing (PDF 179 KB, 2 pp) |
| ES-4.5-5 |
Copper Tubing - Support Spacing (PDF 46 KB, 1 pp) |
| ES-5.11-1 |
Instrument Test Ports - Rectangular Duct with or without External Insulation (PDF 80 KB, 1 pp) |
| ES-5.11-5 |
Instrument Test Ports - Round Duct with or without External Insulation (PDF 67 KB, 1 pp) |
| ES.5.12-1 |
Fire Damper - Fire Partition - Frame Mounted (PDF 74 KB, 1 pp) |
| ES.5.12-2 |
Fire Damper - Fire Partition - Duct Mounted (PDF 94 KB, 1 pp) |
| ES.5.12-3 |
Fire Damper - Fire Partition - Duct Mounted (PDF 101 KB, 1 pp) |
| ES.5.12-4 |
Fire Damper - Fire Partition - Duct Mounted (PDF 95 KB, 1 pp) |
| ES.5.12-5 |
Fire Damper - Fire Wall - Opening Mounted (PDF 112 KB, 1 pp) |
| ES.5.12-6 |
Fire Damper - Fire Wall - Frame Mounted (PDF 93 KB, 1 pp) |
| ES.5.12-7 |
Fire Damper - Fire Barrier - Frame Mounted PDF 67 KB, 1 pp) |
| ES.5.12-8 |
Fire Damper - Floor Barrier - Frame Mounted (PDF 91 KB, 1 pp) |
| ES.5.12-9 |
Fire Damper - Floor Barrier - Duct Mounted PDF 94 KB, 1 pp) |
| ES.5.12-10 |
Fire Damper - Floor Barrier - Duct Mounted (PDF 85 KB, 1 pp) |
For Division 16 specifications in Word format, contact Melissa Madgett of ORNL.
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