Built in 2006, this Mediterranean-inspired house in the south of Dresden utilises a geothermal heat pump system. During the modernisation in 2016/17, the old heat pump was replaced by a more efficient inverter model with infinitely variable output adjustment (4-16 kW), which saves 10-15% energy thanks to partial load operation and runs almost silently. The existing five 60-metre geothermal probes continue to optimally supply the 240 m² of living space (with underfloor heating).
A solar thermal system (2 flat-plate collectors + 750-litre storage tank) supports the heating and hot water: the solar heat is fed in at the lower temperature range, while the heat pump feeds in at the upper or lower range as required. There are plans to retrofit a passive cooling module, which will use the underfloor heating to keep the building at the right temperature in summer - saving energy by utilising the geothermal probe (cooling from 18 °C, heat is later used for heating).
The central control system controls heating, hot water, solar thermal energy and, in future, cooling. It is equipped with remote monitoring and will soon be internet-enabled so that operating data can be used for optimisation.