War Memorial digs deep to slash energy costs using geothermal heat exchange

The largest geothermal heat exchange system in Australia has been switched on at the Australian War Memorial in the nation’s capital this week in a move that is estimated to save up to $1 million dollars each year in energy costs.

Undertaken as part of the larger $550 million Australian War Memorial Development project, a massive geothermal heat exchange system was installed which features 216 vertical closed loop boreholes and some 128 kilometres of pipe, making it one of the largest systems of its kind in the world.

Designed by Sydney based GeoExchange Australia, the boreholes for the system were drilled up to 150 metres deep across the War Memorial’s Eastern Precinct, under the Memorial’s Bean Building, bus park, and grounds in Campbell in the ACT.

Switched on by Australian ministers Matt Keogh and Chris Bowen on Tuesday, the system is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 1,400 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year and save the Memorial up to $1 million dollars each year compared to the energy costs of a conventional system.

When the project was first announced in September 2022 it was billed as the largest closed loop underground geothermal technology heating and cooling system in Australia and was funded as part of the War Memorial’s existing development package.

“It will be one of the largest geothermal installations of its type in the world, with up to 128kms of pipe installed to decrease the Memorial’s energy usage,” said Matt Anderson, director of the Australian War Memorial, speaking in September 2022.

“By harnessing our natural resources onsite this new generation of geothermal system will save the Memorial approximately $1.3 million dollars each year on heating and cooling.

“This innovative approach is perfectly suited to the Australian War Memorial. We hope it will be a model for other sustainable projects that are considering geothermal technology.”