Automated reporting with GHEtool (Summer 2025)

Reporting is becoming increasingly important for both drilling companies handling numerous smaller projects and engineering firms managing a few larger projects with multiple design variations. Therefore, automated reporting has always been a key feature in GHEtool Cloud, and thanks to the feedback from our community, we were able to make it even better for you! In this article, we discuss our renewed reporting functionality, making it easier than ever to create professional reports in seconds!

The importance of reporting

In the design of a shallow geothermal borefield, there are quite a lot of input parameters one needs to set in order to run a simulation. Inherent to this is the need to make numerous assumptions, related to ground properties, building demand, and other factors. Therefore, whenever you create a design for your client, it is essential to communicate the input parameters of your design along with your conclusions. This not only builds trust, but this transparency also contributes to a stronger geothermal industry through shared assumptions and fair quote to quote comparisons.

Traditionally, creating such reports takes quite some time, but not anymore when you use GHEtool!

Reporting in GHEtool Cloud

Within GHEtool, you have a wide range of options for your reporting. First of all, in the project dashboard, you can choose whether you want a full-sized report with all the input information comprehensively detailed, or you can opt for a more summarised one-page format, where each scenario fits on a single page. Since the summarised report is a condensed version of the full-sized report, we will discuss this first. Afterwards, we will cover the full report.

!Hinweis
At the moment, automated reporting in GHEtool Cloud is available in English, German, and Dutch. In the near future, this will be expanded to include additional languages.

Full report

When you select Full as the report type in the project dashboard, a report with the following chapters will be generated (click hier to see an example with the advanced layout):

• Introduction (optional)
• Summarized results (optional)
• Shared input data that is consistent across all scenarios
• Results with a section for each scenario
  • Scenario-specific inputs
  • Scenario-specific results
• Conclusion (optional)
• Appendices with detailed design information for each scenario (optional)

!Hinweis
Typically, whenever you have multiple scenarios, many of the input parameters remain the same. For example, when comparing different borefield designs, the ground and load parameters may be identical across all variations. Therefore, all input parameters that are the same between scenarios are grouped in a dedicated chapter to avoid repetition within the individual scenario sections. The inputs that vary from one scenario to another are listed separately for each scenario.

Some of these optional sections, such as the introduction and the conclusion, can be configured directly in the project dashboard, as they apply to the entire report. Other settings are configured at the scenario level to allow for greater flexibility. A screenshot of the scenario-level options is provided below.

For each scenario, you can choose whether or not to include it in the report. For example, if you have run a number of temporary simulations, you may not want to export all of them into the PDF report, so you can exclude them individually. Each scenario also includes a description, which helps you build a narrative in the report (what was simulated and why?), as this description appears at the beginning of that specific scenario section.

To further customise the appearance of the report, there are various graphs and sections you can choose to include or exclude for each scenario. Below, we will discuss which parts of the report can be customised.

!Hinweis
Depending on the type of simulation you performed in your scenario, some options may not be visible. For example, if you have not run a hybrid simulation, the related options will be disabled.

Appendix: design parameters

For each scenario, you can choose to export all design inputs as a list and add them at the end of the report. This way, all information is bundled together, allowing you to replicate the simulation.

Section

You have the option to add or remove different sections from the report.

• Summary
  If you want to highlight a particular scenario, you can add a summary section. This creates a one-page overview of the scenario and places it at the beginning of the report.
• Ground load
  When working with a building load, the heat pump is used to convert building demand into ground load. You have the option to include the resulting ground load in the results section of the scenario.
• Pressure drop
  This option adds your pressure drop simulation to the report.

Hint

Some parameters are not always self-explanatory, which is why we have included optional hints in the report to clarify certain aspects. You can choose to include the following hints:

• Borehole length vs depth
  GHEtool, unlike some other software, distinguishes between borehole length and borehole depth by including the buried depth (read this article for more information). Since this may not be entirely clear to all users, you can add a hint that explains the difference when borefield inputs are shown in the report.
• Bodenschichten
  When using ground layers, the average ground properties are calculated based on the borehole length and buried depth (read this article for more information). This hint adds a paragraph explaining how this calculation is done.
• Temperature profile
  This adds a paragraph above the temperature profile to explain the difference between average fluid temperatures and ground temperature, as well as the importance of the effective borehole thermal resistance.
• Hybrid system
  When performing a hybrid simulation in GHEtool (read this article for more information), you can add a hint to the report explaining how the simulation was performed using temperature thresholds for heating and cooling along with the weather file.

Graphs, images and table

Finally, you can choose to show or hide certain graphs and tables in the report, such as borehole coordinates, borehole cross-section, the building’s load profile, and more.

!Hinweis
The elements you choose to hide or show only affect the input sections of the report. The appendix containing the design parameters is not affected; all parameters will be included automatically.

Summary report

The summary report removes most of the flexibility of the full report, focusing only on the essentials (click hier to see an example with the standard layout). Its structure is outlined below:

• Introduction (optional)
• A one-pager of each scenario (with optional description/scenario)
• Conclusion (optional)
• Appendices with detailed design information for each scenario (optional)

Of all the scenario-specific report options mentioned above, only the option to include or exclude the design parameters is available.

Two design templates

Both the full and summary reports can be generated using either the standard design template or an advanced, company-specific one. The default template is ideal for internal use, archiving, or quick communication, while the advanced option is typically chosen by companies that report regularly to clients. It offers additional flexibility, such as adding client information, custom colours, and your own company logo.

To use the advanced report template, go to your project dashboard and select Advanced under Report template. New text fields will appear, allowing you to customise the first page of the report. A screenshot is shown below.

If you want to change the overall design of your advanced report, go to your admin dashboard. Under the Report Template tab, you can set your colour scheme, logo, general terms and conditions, as well as choose the characters used for the decimal point and thousands separator in the report.

!Hinweis
Please note that the advanced report requires an advanced reporting licence. More information can be found on our pricing page.

Fazit

As the renewable energy sector continues to evolve, geothermal systems stand out as reliable and eco-friendly solutions for heating and cooling. At the heart of these systems are borefields, where careful design is crucial to ensuring optimal performance, efficiency, and cost control. From individual homes to commercial buildings and even entire districts, clear and comprehensive reporting is essential to keep all stakeholders informed. GHEtool Cloud makes this easy, generating professional reports in just seconds!

Literaturverzeichnis

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