The building sector in Quebec is one of the largest consumers of energy and a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making it a key area for achieving the province’s 2030 emission reduction targets. In this context, elementary schools represent an important opportunity because of their large number and their responsibility to lead by example in decarbonizing their heating systems.
This research project addresses this challenge by investigating an innovative hybrid heating solution implemented in seven elementary schools in Quebec: the integration of vertical ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems with a centralized Electric Thermal Storage (ETS) unit as an auxiliary heating equipment. An imbalance between the heat injected into the ground and the heat extracted from it can lead to a gradual long-term drift in ground temperature. To mitigate this effect in cold climates, geothermal bore fields are intentionally undersized relative to the building heating demand, while the remaining load is supplied by an auxiliary heat source. The objective of coupling an ETS system with geothermal energy is, therefore, to provide sustainable heating by maintaining long-term ground temperature stability while reducing peak electrical demand without relying on fossil fuels. Although this hybrid system has been operating in seven Quebec elementary schools for several years, its actual performance has remained theoretical and has never been comprehensively evaluated.
To assess the performance of this hybrid system, an archetype school building was developed and simulated using EnergyPlus. The geometric characteristics and HVAC system configurations of each of the seven schools were collected and analyzed to develop the archetype model. This modelling approach makes it possible to evaluate the energy performance of the coupled system under various operating scenarios while accounting for Quebec's climatic conditions and the heating demand profiles of school buildings. The simulation results were subsequently compared with measured energy consumption data to verify the model.
The study demonstrates the effectiveness of the hybrid system. Replacing an electric boiler with an ETS unit as the auxiliary heating system results in energy cost savings of 1 116 $/winter season and reduces peak electrical demand by up to 30 kW (17 kW on average). Ultimately, this research contributes to improving the energy performance of Quebec's school building stock and supports the broader transition toward sustainable, low-carbon heating systems.
| Date | 26 Aug 2026 |
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| Original language | French |
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| Awarding Institution | - École de technologie supérieure
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| Supervisor | Katherine D'Avignon (Supervisor) |
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Mootamri, W. (Author),
D'Avignon (Supervisor),
26 Aug 2026Student thesis: Master's thesis › Master in Engineering: Mechanical Engineering