Ground Heat Exchanger Consulting & Testing Services

W e u n d e r s t a n d h o w t h e e a r t h w o r k s ™

We understand how the earth works™

1

Building a Partnership

The Story of Braun Intertec

In 1957, Jack Braun founded the company that is

now known as Braun Intertec out of his home in a

Minneapolis suburb. Mr. Braun’s entrepreneurial

spirit and dedicated leadership helped the company

to grow and expand its service offerings to public

and private sector clients in many markets. Today,

Braun Intertec continues to be a leading

engineering, environmental and testing consulting

firm, with a staff of more than 500 employee-

owners spanning 15 offices across the Upper

Midwest. As we continue to build relationships in

emerging markets and recruit new talent, we never

lose sight of our humble beginnings and the many

strong and supportive relationships we’ve formed

along the journey. It’s our goal to be the Consultant

of Choice. Each of our employees is dedicated to

making this goal a reality every day through our

client and business partnerships. Today we’re

proud to be an employee-owned firm offering a

comprehensive scope of award-winning services.

Corporate Capabilities

For decades we’ve been working with clients in

both the public and private sectors on a multitude

of projects that range in size and complexity. You’ll

find there are few firms that are able to offer you

the same broad scope of services we provide, at a

paralleled level of accountability and personal

attention.

Our Services:

Analytical Lab

Building Sciences

Concrete Consulting

Construction Materials Testing

Drilling

Environmental Consulting

Geothermal Consulting

Geotechnical Engineering

Materials Laboratory

Nondestructive Examination

An Introduction to Braun Intertec Geothermal

In 2010 Braun Intertec recognized an opportunity in

the geothermal consulting market to blend our

existing soils engineering and evaluation, testing

and quality control with the design and

performance capabilities of a recognized leader in

geothermal consulting, VCMS Geosolutions.

Combining the expertise of engineers,

hydrogeologists, scientists and technicians provides

a comprehensive approach to ground heat

exchange consulting using practical solutions you

can count on.

Braun Intertec Geothermal: We understand how

the earth works™

2

Geothermal Consulting Experience

Systematic Project Approach

Braun Intertec Geothermal

Braun Intertec Geothermal a premiere

firm that specializes in ground heat

exchanger consulting and testing

services.

In today’s economy, operating buildings is

expensive. To help minimize expenses, building

owners are seeking a long-term hedge against the

volatility of energy costs, with an increasing

number giving greater consideration to options

beyond traditional heating, ventilation and air

conditioning (HVAC) systems. Many now select

ground source (geothermal) HVAC as the smart

alternative.

At Braun Intertec Geothermal, we understand

ground heat exchange from an engineering and

geological perspective. We also understand the

combination of these two components when it

comes to construction. This understanding can

provide significant improvement in constructability

and cost control of geothermal HVAC systems.

Using this understanding as our foundation, we

coordinate and manage the complexities of civil

planning, hydrogeology, environmental risk,

regulatory compliance, heat transfer, hydronics,

and constructability each and every day.

Our work has contributed to the success of

hundreds of geothermal HVAC installations, in

widely varied geologic conditions, for hundreds of

clients throughout the US. The map below

represents some of our project locations in the

upper Midwest.

While we’ve assisted numerous owners with the

successful implementation of geothermal HVAC

systems in new buildings, we are especially

experienced in the complexities of incorporating

ground heat exchangers in retrofit projects. Our

comprehensive preplanning, investigation and

design services help to minimize site disruption,

construction complications and cost overruns.

We can help you by providing:

Preplanning and feasibility analyses

Site geologic, thermal and environmental characterization

Hybrid ground heat exchanger design and engineering

Construction testing and observation

Patented Hydrocommissioning™ and hydronic system preparation

Ground heat exchanger repair, and hydronic system remediation

Specialized forensic analysis, and environmental/cultural resource consulting

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Systematic Project Approach

An Optimized Approach to Challenging Projects

When considering geothermal HVAC, we

believe there are no boilerplate solutions

and no substitute for extensive,

interdisciplinary experience.

From our perspective, effective geothermal HVAC

system design literally starts from the ground up.

Working in collaboration with the project owners,

architects, mechanical engineers and contractors,

our geothermal consultants use a systems approach

to create cost-efficient, dependable hybrid ground

heat exchange (GHX) system designs.

By using this approach, our goal is to bring you

support through long-term operational reliability

and predictable return on your investment. In the

process, you gain more control over project

outcomes, achieve design improvements and

improve overall system performance and energy

efficiency.

Considering Geothermal HVAC?

Is it feasible?

Is it affordable?

What risks will be assumed?

Preplanning and Feasibility Assessment

Develop strategy for the hybrid system configuration based on lowest lifecycle costs

Perform in-depth hydrogeologic study, coordinated schematic design, feasibility verification and site investigation scope development

Geothermal/Environmental Site Investigation

Professional geologic logging of exploratory drilling minimizes contractor change orders caused by misrepresented conditions

A coordinated approach determines presence of soil/groundwater contamination at reduced testing expense

Provides a reliable measurement of geothermal heating/cooling capacity

Ground Heat Exchanger Engineering/Design Documentation

Experienced in design documentation that includes hybrid utilization, construction testing/observation

specification, and hydronic system preparation

Coordination of mechanical site planning with civil, site electrical and landscape design to minimize construction complications

Detailed documentation of the means to control the construction process, in spite of geologic variability

Construction Testing/Observations

Document conformance of installation quality with design intent and regulatory compliance requirements

Recommend solutions to mitigate impacts of unforeseen or changed project conditions

Provide for timely contractor corrective action before work is obscured, minimizing unnecessary costs to repair

HydrocommissioningTM / Hydronic System Preparation for Service

High velocity, automated control of air/debris removal supporting proper HVAC system start up

ASTM F2164 Leak Testing with computer documented results of system integrity

Water treatment, heat transfer solution preparation and analytical results testing

Dependable HVAC Comfort and Return on Investment

Detailed design/system preparation supports dependable HVAC performance and construction cost-efficiency

Mitigates risk of lingering environmental complications

Mitigates risk of lower than anticipated ROI due to unexpected construction costs

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Geothermal Consulting Experience

Braun Intertec Geothermal Preplanning and Feasibility Assessment Services:

Environmental/cultural resource investigation and risk assessment

Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments and impact studies

Hybrid ground heat exchange optimization planning based on lowest probable lifecycle costs

Hydrogeologic study and planning of ground heat exchange method/specification of best installation practices

Coordinated schematic ground heat exchanger design

Geothermal/environmental site investigation work planning and specification

Expert ground heat exchanger design/construction cost budgeting

Preplanning Services

Preplanning and Feasibility Assessment Services

Nothing is more important to the cost-

efficient integration of geothermal HVAC

technology than effective preplanning.

The earth’s temperature and geologic structure are

the most significant variables in any geothermal

HVAC project. Identifying and managing this

variability is important to the successful integration

of geothermal HVAC. That’s why we strongly

advocate the preplanning and feasibility

assessment process. Preplanning also provides

preliminary information that can be used to

evaluate lifecycle costs, which is of utmost

importance to your clients and building owners.

During our two-step preplanning process, we

estimate installation costs and identify

development risks such as groundwater levels and

geologic conditions that can impact project

feasibility. By giving you this feasibility data, we can

help take the guesswork out of the equation before

you incur significant testing and engineering

expense.

STEP 1: Determine lowest cost system

configuration. Through an iterative modeling

process, we establish a GHX/hybrid system

configuration likely to yield lowest lifecycle cost.

Often the size of the GHX can be reduced

significantly by incorporating a cooling device

and/or boiler into the hydronic system. By

determining the point at which lowest first costs

and lowest operating costs converge, we can

develop a more cost-efficient strategy to

incorporate ground source HVAC into a given

project.

STEP 2: Validation of ground heat exchanger

viability. Through a more detailed evaluation, we

identify site-specific risks associated with the

installation of a GHX, and recommend steps for

mitigation. We evaluate hydrogeologic conditions

and recommend the appropriate installation that

can help optimize lifecycle costs and minimize site

impact. We then create a schematic design to suit

identified project constraints and calculate a

realistic installation budget. We complete this step

by specifying the exploratory drilling and

environmental/geothermal testing required to

validate the preliminary project assumptions and

hydronic system design.

Rely on our preplanning and

feasibility assessment services

to help minimize unnecessary

testing and wasted design

effort.

5

Braun Intertec Geothermal Site Investigation Services:

Test boring utilizing mud/air rotary, rotosonic coring, air hammer and directional boring

Thermal conductivity testing, ground temperature profiling, and borehole thermal resistance testing

Calculation of site heat rejection and heat absorption capacity by experienced professionals

Environmental soil screening, groundwater testing, remediation work plan consulting

Geologic bedrock mapping facilitating dependable directional bore system planning

Geothermal Site Investigation

Geothermal/Environmental Site Investigation Services

Effective geologic and thermal evaluation

helps to control project costs, improve

system performance and reduce

construction complications.

Cost-efficient GHX installation and dependable

HVAC operation are dependent on a detailed

system design and a thorough subsurface

evaluation. To make the most of your investment,

make sure you work with professionals who

understand the site from both a geologic and GHX

system perspective. Our geologists perform an in-

depth site characterization to profile conditions

such as contaminated soil, groundwater levels and

geologic conditions that have significant potential

to impact your project. From this data we can

provide a viable course of action for your GHX

installation.

Don’t leave unforeseen conditions to chance.

We understand that determining the potential of

unforeseen geologic conditions and discovering the

presence of contamination while characterizing the

site is the best way to manage the situation before

the occurrence of project delays or added expense.

Proper soils characterization is performed using

traditional engineering standards and provides a

description of the soils consistent with other

geotechnical work. Additionally, this evaluation

approach helps to mitigate the risk of costly change

orders later on in the project that result from

misinterpretation of other soil classification

schemes.

Protect your reputation by demanding

professional thermal response testing.

At Braun Intertec Geothermal our advanced

thermal response testing is designed to provide you

with the comprehensive data you need to minimize

GHX design guesswork, improve cost efficiency, and

reduce risk of HVAC system performance failure.

When working with our team, you get the

satisfaction of knowing that our experienced

technicians perform thermal response testing in

accordance with stringent industry standards using

high-quality instrumentation. To complete the

process, we provide you with test results that are

reviewed and prepared by a professional geologist,

and signed by a professional engineer.

You can rely on us to help you optimize project

costs and improve system performance, while

feeling confident that our experienced team has

your project covered.

Geothermal/Environmental

site investigations help

maximize your investment by:

Quantifying site geology and

hydrogeology that may impact

system viability

Providing valuable thermal

transfer data

Identifying unforeseen

conditions

Mitigating risk of costly change

orders.

6

Braun Intertec Geothermal Engineering Services:

GHX design selection including vertical and directional-bored, standing column and extraction/ injection technologies. Design modeling capabilities include GLD, GLHEPro, GCHPCalc, Trace 700, proprietary heat transport and hybrid design optimization modeling

Professionally engineered design development and construction documentation, fully coordinated with site topography and site civil and electrical design

Optimized hybrid design incorporating condenser water augmentation through boiler and/or fluid cooling devices

Ground heat exchanger design review and risk assessment consulting. Professional review of third party thermal conductivity test results

Engineering/Design

Engineering Services

Our multidisciplinary approach to hybrid

ground heat exchanger design yields

outstanding cost efficiency,

constructability and quality control.

Superior project control is what we strive for when

documenting design intent. That’s why at Braun

Intertec Geothermal we have designed, managed

the construction, and/or commissioned hundreds

of large-scale ground heat exchanger projects.

Architects and engineers throughout the country

rely on our experience to help them deliver optimal

project results within the project guidelines.

Our skilled design approach converges data from

several methodologies, including advanced, long-

term ground temperature change calculation using

three-dimensional hydrogeologic heat transport

modeling. This comprehensive approach improves

design reliability, enabling us to provide design

selections that optimize long-term operational

reliability and cost-efficient installation.

Clear design accountability is an important goal.

Our team of consultants collaborates with the

interior mechanical engineers to delineate our

scope of the project, and gain an understanding of

their design and equipment requirements for the

building. Based on this data, we provide a ground

heat exchanger design suitable to meet those

requirements. Depending on project team

preferences, HVAC load calculations can be

performed by either Braun Intertec Geothermal

consultants or the consulting mechanical engineer.

When you work with us, you get reliable

construction quality control. As a leader in third

party construction testing/observation, we can

review construction testing specifications and fully

coordinate with the construction planning to help

you achieve effective oversight without

compromising construction productivity.

Our collaborative project

approach during the engineering

and design process helps to:

Instill confidence and create

greater control over project

outcome

Improve design reliability

Optimize long-term operation

Provide cost-efficient installation

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Construction Testing/Observation Services

Braun Intertec Geothermal Construction Testing/Observation Services:

Review of construction documentation to determine clarity of design intent

ASTM D5334 grout thermal, and ASTM C5084 grout hydraulic conductivity testing

ASMT F2164 PE piping hydrostatic testing with computer-logged documentation

Ground heat exchanger construction observation by trained geologists

Geothermal lateral piping construction observation by IGSHPA-accredited special observers

Individual ground heat exchanger flow/pressure testing and depth measurement

Construction Testing / Observation Services

Systematic testing and observation

identifies problems early in construction

and enables corrective action before

paving or other landscaping begins.

Construction testing and observation services

(CT&O) helps to define accountability and

minimize costly repairs later in the life of the

geothermal HVAC system. It’s expensive to isolate

and repair buried geothermal piping after a system

has been put into service. By using the Braun

Intertec Geothermal dedicated CT&O field services,

you can proactively help protect the quality and

operational reliability of your GHX system. Our

cost-effective program of inspections and progress

testing is designed to improve construction control,

and documents progress testing during

construction that can be used to separate

responsibilities between the designer and

contractor. If a problem is identified, we can

recommend repairs more easily with less risk of

collateral damage, allowing the project to get back

on track with minimal disruption.

Our construction observation is performed by

qualified geologists and International Ground

Source Heat Pump Association-accredited (IGSHPA)

special observers to enhance quality control.

Progress testing of each ground heat exchanger

before connection to lateral piping allows us to

comprehensively evaluate conformance to design

intent and regulation. It also provides us with the

opportunity to determine that each heat exchanger

flows without restriction, holds pressure, is of

proper depth, and grouted to specification. By

following project-specific protocols for grout

sampling and analytical testing of thermal and

hydraulic conductivity, we are able to evaluate heat

exchanger conformance to IGSHPA standards and

state regulation. We want you to have a system

that performs to design intent. Through our

comprehensive evaluation process we’ll help you

meet this goal.

System integrity testing utilizing patent-pending

technology provides clear evidence of leak-free

system integrity. Unlike metallic piping,

polyethylene systems expand under pressure,

making it difficult to confirm leak-free integrity.

Our proprietary technology and testing process,

in accordance with ASTM F2164, is used to

discover leaks or faults, and provides reliable leak

testing results with a high degree of

dependability. By using our automated leak

testing equipment and electronically controlling

our maximum pressures, we can document that

we have not over pressurized the piping system,

thereby effectively eliminating the risk of rupture

and replacement.

Enhanced peace of mind and

improved system integrity

through trusted third party

confirmation of construction

quality.

That’s Braun Intertec Geothermal.

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Braun Intertec Geothermal HydrocommissioningTM and Hydronic System

Preparation Services:

Computer-automated, high-velocity air/debris removal utilizing patent-pending process

Site water demineralization, heat transfer solution blending and installation

Preparation of interior and exterior piping systems

Analytical testing of water and blended heat transfer solution quality

Hydronic system remediation and fine filtration of contaminated heat transfer solution

Heat transfer solution chemical supplier

Hydrocommissioning™ & Hydronic System Preparation

Hydrocommissioning™ and Hydronic System Preparation

Hydronic system preparation using our

patent-pending flushing and fluid

treatment technology improves HVAC

system dependability.

Dependable HVAC operation is subject to effective

geothermal hydronic system preparation. Air

trapped in the ground heat exchanger during

installation is exceedingly difficult to evacuate and

may permanently degrade the capacity of the HVAC

system. Soils and other trapped debris will plug

strainers and increase maintenance costs. Poor

heat transfer fluid preparation may shorten the life

of hydronic system components.

High-velocity pumping with careful control is

required to evacuate debris and air from hydronic

piping systems while preventing damage caused by

ineffective control of pressure during flushing. Our

patent-pending HydrocommissioningTM

technology

evacuates air and construction debris under high

velocity, yet protects the hydronic system from

harmful pressure waves through computerized

automation, variable frequency pumping and

redundant pressure relief.

High-capacity, continuously self-cleaning filtration

prevents reintroduction of debris to the piping

system, and air is safely and efficiently vented to

the atmosphere.

Preparing a geothermal hydronic system for

service is a complex process. Interior piping

requires chemical treatment that must not

contaminate buried piping systems. Yet, dissimilar

treatment of interior and buried systems may

degrade the overall hydronic system prematurely.

Proper geothermal hydronic preparation involves

carefully isolated treatment of interior piping, site

water demineralization, homogenized heat transfer

solution preparation, and compliant disposal of

waste. Braun Intertec Geothermal Hydronic System

Preparation services determine that interior and

exterior piping systems are properly prepared,

while our analytical laboratory testing helps

determine regulatory compliance, water quality,

inhibitor levels and freeze protection. Wasted

chemical product is minimized, captured and

transported off-site for proper disposal.

Hydrocommissioning™ services help:

Improve heat transfer

Lower system maintenance

Extend life of hydronic system

components

Reduce chemical treatment costs

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Contact Us

Considering a Geothermal HVAC system on your next project? Let’s talk.

With our comprehensive offering of geothermal

design and consulting services, our consultants can

guide you through the entire process, minimize risk,

and help you achieve the most from your client’s

geothermal HVAC investment. Contact us to

discover how a ground heat exchanger system is a

viable option for your next project.

Braun Intertec Geothermal, LLC

16744 11th Street NE

Little Falls, MN 56345

320.632.1081

Braun Intertec Corporate Office

11001 Hampshire Ave S

Minneapolis, MN 55438

800.279.2000

www.braunintertec.com

We understand how the earth works™