Solution Overview
for
Buildings account for nearly 40% of global COтВВ emissions, with heating and cooling representing about half of EuropeтАЩs energy demand and still relying heavily on fossil fuels. Decarbonizing existing buildings is particularly challenging: conventional geothermal systems require drilling, significant space, complex permitting and high upfront investment, making them difficult or impossible to deploy in dense urban areas. At the same time, cities contain vast underground infrastructuresтАФparking garages, basements, tunnels and stationsтАФwhose thermal potential remains largely untapped. Building owners and energy professionals therefore need accessible, cost-effective and scalable renewable heat sources that can be integrated into existing assets without major construction work or disruption.
Our Solution:
Enerdrape provides patented, prefabricated geothermal panels that transform underground spaces such as parking garages, basements and tunnels into renewable heating and cooling sources. Unlike conventional geothermal systems, our solution requires no drilling or excavation. The thin, modular panels are quickly installed on underground walls or ceilings and connected to a heat pump through a hydraulic circuit. They capture geothermal and residual heat from the surrounding underground environment, providing a stable, local and renewable energy source for buildings. The solution is compatible with existing and new buildings, scalable according to energy needs, and requires minimal maintenance. Enerdrape sells the panels together with engineering, installation and monitoring services, enabling building owners and energy professionals to decarbonize heating and cooling with minimal disruption.
How it works:
Enerdrape is the worldтАЩs first prefabricated, non-invasive geothermal panel technology, making geothermal energy accessible without drilling or excavation. Unlike conventional geothermal systems, our patented panels are installed directly on the walls or ceilings of existing underground structures, turning unused surfaces into renewable energy sources. This plug-and-play approach dramatically reduces installation complexity, space requirements and disruption, making geothermal suitable for dense urban areas and retrofits where drilling is often impossible. The modular system is highly scalable, compatible with heat pumps and delivers thermal outputs of up to 170 W/m┬▓.
Classification & Use Cases
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Maturity & Traction
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Impact & SDGs
Contribution to any of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals:
SDG 7 тАУ Affordable and Clean Energy: Enerdrape unlocks local, renewable geothermal energy from underground spaces, providing efficient heating and cooling without drilling and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
SDG 11 тАУ Sustainable Cities and Communities: Enerdrape transforms existing urban infrastructure, such as car parks and tunnels, into renewable energy sources, enabling low-carbon heating and cooling in dense cities.
SDG 13 тАУ Climate Action: By replacing fossil-fuel-based heating and cooling with renewable geothermal energy, Enerdrape reduces building COтВВ emissions and accelerates urban decarbonization.
SDG 9 тАУ Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: EnerdrapeтАЩs patented, prefabricated geothermal panels turn existing infrastructure into energy-producing assets through a scalable, non-invasive technology.
SDG 12 тАУ Responsible Consumption and Production: Enerdrape uses recycled and recyclable materials and repurposes existing underground surfaces, reducing the need for invasive construction and new infrastructure.
Main impact areas
Team & Organization
Founding team:
Dr. Alessandro Rotta Loria тАУ CTO & Co-founder: Expert in geo-energy systems, leading technology development and R&D.
Prof. Lyesse Laloui тАУ Co-founder & Scientific Advisor: EPFL Professor and internationally recognized expert in geotechnical engineering and geo-energy.
