closed loop - horizontal

If adequate soil or clay based land is available, horizontal geothermal ground loops are typically one of the more economical choices.

In horizontal geothermal ground loops, several hundred metres of 1 metre
deep trenches are dug with a backhoe or chain trencher.

Piping is then laid in the trench and backfilled. A typical 3 bedroomed house would require approx 400 metres of ground loop pipe. Because of the amount of trenching involved, horizontal ground loops are most commonly used for new construction, or where extra land is available.