IGSHPA just added a new resource to the website on District Energy Systems (also called Thermal Energy Networks or TENs).
There is a lot of discussion about district systems in the industry right now, and many times there seems to be a lack of resources for those interested in the technology. As a pioneer in the Ground Source (Geothermal) Heat Pump industry, IGSHPA is always leading the way in providing members and stakeholders with the most up to date resources, training, and standards. At the beginning of 2026, an all-new training and certification program was launched, which includes many of the “building blocks” for system design and installation. Based upon the CSA/ANSI/IGSHPA C448:25 standard, which includes a new section on District Energy Systems, the training includes 22 modules, both online, in person, and virtual.
District Energy Systems, also known as Thermal Energy Networks or TENs, have the ability to connect multiple buildings for the purpose of moving heat to or from other buildings and to or from heat sources/sinks like ground heat exchangers. Ground source (geothermal) heat pumps and other mechanical systems are typically connected to these systems to take advantage of the load diversity of such systems (e.g. one building or zone is in cooling while another building or zone is in heating, simply moving heat from one area to another). Therefore, mixed use developments, higher education campuses, healthcare campuses, and other applications with load diversification benefit from a district energy system.
Check out available resources on IGSHPA’s “District Systems” page.