Fully online technical training designed around real industry demand, so you can specialize at your own pace.
10/31/2026
Start Date
2 months
Duration
100
Total Hours
6 Modules
Program
Duration
Total Hours
Program
Start Date
ICTESS’s Course in Geothermal Heat Pump Systems delivers specialized technical training in the design, sizing, and calculation of HVAC systems powered by low-enthalpy geothermal energy. The program covers the ground-source heat exchange systems most widely used in buildings: closed-loop vertical boreholes, horizontal loop collectors, and open-loop groundwater systems.
You’ll learn to calculate heat exchange between the ground and the heat-carrier fluid, select and size geothermal heat pumps based on coefficient of performance (COP), design hydraulic circuits with antifreeze mixtures, and interpret thermal response tests (TRT) to characterize subsurface conditions. The course includes a Capstone Project where you’ll apply everything you’ve learned to a complete geothermal system design.
Shallow geothermal technology has become one of the most efficient and sustainable HVAC solutions on the market. Rising demand for near-zero energy buildings and tightening state and local energy codes are driving demand for professionals who can design systems that tap into the ground’s stable temperature for heating, cooling, and domestic hot water production.
The purpose of this course is to train technicians who can assess the feasibility of geothermal installations, size the full ground loop field based on a building’s thermal loads, select heat pumps using seasonal efficiency criteria (COP/EER), design balanced hydraulic circuits, and oversee drilling operations and thermal response testing.
The training includes hands-on use of industry-standard geothermal design software (EED, GLD, GES-CAL) and culminates in a Capstone Project where you’ll develop a complete geothermal HVAC project applying every skill built throughout the technical modules.
The training prepares you to manage complete projects from geological assessment through commissioning: performing technical and economic feasibility studies, sizing borehole fields based on building thermal demand, preparing technical reports and drilling specifications, overseeing borehole installation, and verifying performance through operational data analysis.
Study from anywhere with no commuting required. Balance your technical specialization with your current professional schedule.
Organize your study around your own availability. Move through modules at your own speed and revisit topics whenever you need extra practice.
Learn EED, GLD, and GES-CAL, the same design tools used by engineering firms on real geothermal projects.
Technical video lessons, regularly updated downloadable materials, forums staffed by specialized tutors, and hands-on exercises.
With ICTESS, you’ll get specialized technical training focused on professional practice and designed to help you master the skills the geothermal HVAC sector demands. Learn with an up-to-date methodology and real engineering tools.
What you'll achieve
Design ground loop fields using closed vertical boreholes and horizontal collectors, selecting the optimal configuration based on soil conditions and thermal demand.
Calculate heat exchange between the heat-carrier fluid and the subsurface, applying ground, borehole, and grout thermal resistances according to standardized methodologies.
Select and size geothermal heat pumps by evaluating COP, seasonal efficiency, thermal capacity, and compatibility with the building’s interior distribution system.
Design balanced hydraulic circuits with antifreeze mixtures (glycols), calculate pressure losses, select circulation pumps, and size expansion tanks.
Interpret thermal response tests (TRT) to determine ground thermal conductivity and borehole thermal resistance, adjusting the ground loop field design accordingly.
Low-enthalpy geothermal technology is seeing sustained growth driven by energy efficiency goals and decarbonization targets for the building stock. Codes such as the IECC and ASHRAE 90.1 are pushing for lower emissions across the residential and commercial sectors, and geothermal systems deliver seasonal efficiencies well above conventional equipment, making them one of the most efficient HVAC technologies available. This context is fueling growing demand for technical professionals specialized in designing and installing these systems.
Critical Shortage of Qualified Technicians: The market lacks enough professionals specifically trained in shallow geothermal technology. Drilling companies and installers report difficulty finding technicians who can size ground loop fields, interpret TRT results, and design complete systems with efficiency in mind. This shortage limits the sector’s growth and creates an opportunity for those who specialize.
Increasingly Demanding Codes: Building energy codes and local ordinances in major cities set minimum renewable energy contribution requirements for construction projects. Geothermal systems meet these requirements with high efficiency and minimal visual impact, making them a preferred solution on projects where other renewables face technical or aesthetic limitations.
A Competitive Edge in HVAC: Specializing in geothermal technology clearly sets you apart from conventional HVAC technicians. Mastering the sizing of buried heat exchangers, water-to-water heat pumps, and glycol-based circuits positions you as a specialist in a technology that more and more developers and building owners are requesting.
Completing the Course in Geothermal Heat Pump Systems positions you in a technical niche with strong demand and limited competition from specialized professionals. The shift toward near-zero energy buildings and stricter renewable energy requirements in building codes is driving sustained growth in geothermal installations over the coming decades.
Access to a High-Demand Specialty: You’ll be qualified for positions at drilling companies, HVAC contractors, specialized engineering firms, and technical departments at builders. Geothermal work requires specific expertise that few professionals have mastered, which significantly increases your value in the job market compared to general HVAC profiles.
Mastery of Differentiating Technical Calculations: Sizing geothermal fields calls for specific skills in heat transfer, applied geology, and hydraulics that aren’t covered in conventional training. Mastering these calculations lets you take on projects that other technicians have to turn down due to a lack of specialization.
Ability to Support High-Performance Building Certifications: Geothermal is one of the technologies with the greatest positive impact on a building’s energy rating. Mastering its design lets you offer solutions that substantially improve the energy certifications required for new construction and retrofits.
Recognized Professional Certificate: The ICTESS professional certificate backs up your technical specialization in geothermal systems, strengthening your standing in the job market and validating your skills to employers in the HVAC and renewable energy sector.
This course is designed for professionals and technicians looking to specialize in the design and sizing of HVAC systems powered by geothermal energy. Recommended profiles include:
Program details
The Capstone Project is the culminating stage of the program and brings together every technical skill developed throughout the course. It involves developing a complete geothermal installation project, from thermal load analysis through the design of the full HVAC system, applying the professional methodologies and design tools used in the industry.
The project includes calculating thermal demand for the selected building, evaluating geothermal ground loop alternatives based on site conditions, and fully sizing the borehole field or horizontal collectors. You’ll calculate heat exchange using standardized thermal resistances, select the geothermal heat pump based on capacity and seasonal efficiency, design the hydraulic circuit with pressure loss calculations, and specify the appropriate antifreeze mixture for operating conditions.
The project also includes preparing system schematics, technical specifications for equipment and materials, an estimated project budget, and a commissioning and verification plan. The final documentation must meet the technical level and professional format expected of HVAC project reports, demonstrating your ability to produce complete documentation suitable for client presentations or permit submittal packages.
The Course in Geothermal Heat Pump Systems includes hands-on training with standard industry tools: EED (Earth Energy Designer) for sizing vertical borehole fields with long-term thermal interference analysis, GLD (Ground Loop Design) for designing horizontal and vertical ground loop systems, and GES-CAL for geothermal system calculations. You’ll use these platforms on real-world case studies, mastering everything from entering geological data and thermal loads to generating professional technical reports. Proficiency with these programs is highly valued in hiring processes at engineering firms specialized in renewable HVAC, since these are the tools used to develop executive-level projects.
An engineering degree is not required. The course is designed for professionals with technical training in related fields such as HVAC, refrigeration, thermal systems, or building construction. Industrial, mechanical, and energy engineers will find content at their level, but it’s also accessible to advanced thermal systems technicians, experienced licensed installers, and construction managers. The program includes heat transfer and hydraulics calculations, so a working knowledge of basic thermodynamics, technical schematic interpretation, and spreadsheets is recommended. Prior professional experience in HVAC or thermal systems makes it easier to get the most out of the advanced content.
The ICTESS professional certificate validates your technical specialization in geothermal systems and is recognized by employers in the sector as high-level continuing education. While it is not an accredited academic degree, the certificate documents specific, in-demand technical skills: ground loop field sizing, heat exchange calculations, geothermal heat pump selection, hydraulic design with glycols, and TRT interpretation. Drilling companies, HVAC contractors, and specialized engineering firms particularly value this practical technical training as a complement to a base degree, since it demonstrates up-to-date expertise in a technology few professionals have mastered and the ability to deliver complete geothermal projects.
This Course in Geothermal Heat Pump Systems stands out for its exclusive focus on low-enthalpy geothermal HVAC systems and its technical depth in engineering calculations. While many renewable energy courses cover geothermal only briefly as one topic among many, this program goes deep into sizing vertical and horizontal boreholes, calculating ground thermal resistances, selecting water-to-water heat pumps, designing circuits with antifreeze mixtures, and interpreting thermal response tests (TRT). The content includes real technical calculations used by engineers on professional projects, plus hands-on training with industry-specific software (EED, GLD, GES-CAL), tools not typically available in general renewable energy courses.
