Ground Source Heat Pump Design & GSHP Engineering:
Built for Performance, Engineered for the Long View
Energy-efficient HVAC solutions that deliver sustainable performance and comfort across luxury residences, commercial properties, and community buildings.
Table of Contents
Ground Source Heat Pumps are not a specialization we added. It's the reason DMA exists.
Founded in 2009 to deliver geothermal HVAC solutions, DMA has completed 500+ eMEP projects with 1,245,000 square feet of net zero design completed or underway. Building sectors include luxury residential, commercial, community, government, and hospitality. Projects range from mountain residences to schools and churches to resort master energy plans. We engineer mechanical systems that use less energy, last longer, and do more.
Design and solutions for energy-efficient, high-performance buildings.
- Luxury Residential
- Commercial
- Community
- Government
- Hospitality
That’s more than 28 acres or 21 football fields of net zero buildings, completed or underway. We are on our way to our mission goal of 9,000,000 sq ft of net zero ready buildings.
DMA offers design solutions with best-in-class systems for the most energy-efficient heating and cooling systems commercially available. Every system is engineered as a whole, made to last.
With a GSHP system in place the wild swings in utility bills go away. Energy and utility costs become predictable and stable for the life of the building. Your building runs on the same steady resource of the ground beneath it.
No conventional HVAC system offers lifetime paybacks. A GSHP system is a financial asset, not just an expense. Lower operating costs, reduced utility exposure, and a ground loop built to outlast the mortgage.
Fully electric with zero on-site emissions. We provide GSHP solutions to move your project toward net zero in comfort. DMA brings proven design, methodology and service to every project — residential, commercial, or institutional.
Ready to Talk About Your Project?
Let us walk you through HVAC solutions to reduce operational energy use and improve occupant comfort.
Geothermal. It's in our DNA.
Ground source heat pump design and geothermal engineering is not just a specialization DMA adopted recently. In fact, our early passion for GSHPs was core to our founding and shaped DMA Engineering from the very start.
In 2009, Steven Forrester founded DMA to deliver ground source heat pump solutions and close a gap in the industry. GSHPs were routinely dismissed as too complex or too costly, and most firms simply didn’t have the depth to design them well. DMA was built to change that, applying rigorous load analysis, parametric energy modeling, and field-tested design strategies to deliver systems that are efficient, constructible, and cost-effective over the life of the building.
Mechanical systems are the single largest consumer of energy in most buildings, making them the greatest opportunity for impact – financially and environmentally. That’s why we at DMA Engineering have spent 16+ years advancing ground source heat pump design across commercial, government, community, and luxury residential projects throughout the mountain west.
Today, DMA’s eMEP designs have delivered 1,245,000 square feet of net zero performance. We are on our way to our mission goal of 9,000,000 sq ft of net zero ready buildings, and GSHP systems are the heartbeat of many of those projects.
“The efficiency of geothermal energy is a commitment embedded in how we design, collaborate, and problem-solve on every project.”
— Steven Forrester
PE PE, BCxP, CGD, LEED AP, BD+C, Founder & Principal, DMA Engineering
The Value Equation: Built for the Long View.
Ground source heat pumps consistently prove their long-term value. GSHPs are the most energy-efficient heating and cooling system commercially available, and the financials keep improving. Here’s what the numbers actually say.
A high-performing GSHP delivers 4–5 units of heat per unit of electricity. It is the most energy-efficient heating and cooling system commercially available. No combustion heating system comes close, especially in our extreme climates.
Modern GSHP systems maintain a Coefficient of Performance of 3.5–5.0 in all seasons, powered by the stable underground temperature. A 95% efficient gas furnace has a COP of only 0.95 and requires combustion.
GSHP systems reduce a building’s carbon emissions by 50% or more compared to conventional systems. Per the DOE, that number improves as the grid gets cleaner. Markets with high renewable penetration, can achieve reductions of 80%.
The loop outlasts multiple equipment replacements and often the building envelope itself. It is permanent infrastructure that can last 50+ years (DOE) to 100 years (IGSHPA-approved systems). A gas furnace lasts only 15.
A GSHP system runs entirely on electricity, which means your energy source can be owned, sourced renewably, and even work together with solar. NREL found the majority of buildings currently heating with gas or propane would save money with GSHP.
Per the DOE, GSHP systems start to recover their incremental cost over conventional systems in 5 –10 years through energy savings alone. Then the system generates returns for decades, a cost recovery which no conventional HVAC system can offer. Rebates can further reduce the payback window.
GSHP Market Momentum
The market has spoken. Ground source heat pump technology is no longer a fringe choice. The industry is accelerating. Residential and commercial buildings that adopt GSHPs early will carry a structural and financial advantage for decades.
~120K New GSHP Systems Installed Annually in North America
More than double the 50,000 figure widely cited a decade ago. Adoption is accelerating as costs fall and performance data accumulates across every building type.
Source: Market Growth Reports, June 2025
$8.8 billion → $20.3 billion
Global GSHP Market Projected 2025–2035
The ground source heat pump market is on track to more than double in a decade, driven by decarbonization mandates, rising energy costs, and growing demand for long-term energy resilience.
Source: Market Research Future, September 2025
593 TWh
Potential Annual Electricity Savings at 70% U.S. Building Adoption
That’s about 15% of current U.S. annual electricity demand and would avoid seven gigatons of carbon-equivalent emissions by 2050. The same study projects more than $300 billion in cumulative electricity cost savings over that period.
Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory / NREL, January 2024
DMA Engineering Approach: How We Design for Performance.
Every DMA project starts with the building treated as a holistic system. Energy, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing are interconnected systems that must be designed together to achieve peak performance, efficiency, and long-term value. We engage early, model rigorously, and stay involved for the life of the building, because great engineering doesn’t stop at design.
“The building envelope directly affects the HVAC system, and we design solutions for both. If the building envelope is good, it makes the HVAC systems smaller, which in turn makes the GSHP systems more economical and allows us to do really cool stuff.”
— Steven Forrester
PE PE, BCxP, CGD, LEED AP, BD+C, Founder & Principal, DMA Engineering
1. Owner's Project Requirements
We start by listening. Every project begins with a thorough understanding of what our clients need, including priorities for comfort, longevity, net zero goals, budget realities, and how the building will actually be used. Their requirements are defined, documented, and tracked from first engagement through every decision that follows and all the way through to final commissioning.
A building designed around the occupants’ actual requirements performs better and costs less to operate for its entire life. And because mechanical systems are the single largest energy consumer in most buildings, clearly integrating and prioritizing the owner’s requirements at the start is where the greatest opportunity for impact begins, both financially and environmentally.
2. Building Envelope & Load Analysis
A well-designed envelope is the foundation of an efficient mechanical system. We partner closely with building owners, homeowners and AEC project partners to right-size energy loads before any equipment is selected, because a smaller, smarter system performs better, costs less to install, and saves more over time. We use leading-edge energy modeling and analysis tools to evaluate performance opportunities early, so decisions are data-driven from day one.
A tight, well-insulated envelope minimizes air leaks that disrupt stable indoor temperatures and directly reduces the mechanical load the GSHP system needs to carry. The payoff is compounded: every improvement to the envelope makes the ground loop smaller, the equipment more efficient, and the long-term operating costs lower.
3. Holistic eMEP System Design
Clear and smart in the design, and functional and dependable in the field. DMA’s integrated team of energy, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers designs every system to work together – not in isolation. By linking loads across diverse use areas, occupancy zones, tenants, or even multiple buildings to a shared ground loop, we leverage load sharing to reduce infrastructure needs, improve long-term efficiency, and deliver occupant comfort that conventional systems simply can’t match.
A properly designed GSHP system can serve virtually every heating and cooling load in a building – forced air, radiant floors, domestic hot water, snow melt, pool and spa heating – making it the most versatile thermal infrastructure a building can have. We use Revit as our primary design and coordination platform, producing construction-ready documents that minimize field surprises and give contractors and owners the confidence to build right the first time.
4. Lifetime Performance Partnership
Our relationship with a project doesn’t end when construction does. DMA stays involved to ensure systems perform exactly as designed and continues to support building owners as their needs evolve over time.
We design living, breathing building ecosystems that tread lightly on the planet while delivering exceptional comfort and performance. A ground source heat pump system that is properly maintained and monitored does more that just hold its value. It compounds the home or building’s value, delivering lower operating costs, greater efficiency, and peace of mind across the full life of the property.
For owners who want ongoing monitoring and performance tracking, we offer service options to collect data and help you finetune your building performance remotely.
Design & System Capabilities
One ground loop. Every comfort system. A properly designed GSHP system can serve virtually every heating and cooling load in a building. We design holistically, tying all loads together to maximize efficiency across the entire building or residence.
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Forced air heating & cooling
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Radiant floor heating
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Radiant ceiling panels
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Chilled beam systems
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Domestic hot water
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Pool & spa heating
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Driveway & walkway snowmelt
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Ancillary building systems
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Multi-tenant shared ground loops
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Hybrid geothermal + chiller systems
Ready to Build Better?
Let’s take the long view together.
Whether you’re early in feasibility or ready to move into design, every great geothermal HVAC system starts with a conversation about what your building can become.
Representative Projects
DMA’s eMEP portfolio spans commercial, government, community, and luxury residential sectors. Here are five geothermal projects that show the range of what we can do.
WHITE HAWK RANCH - Luxury Residential, Colorado
White Hawk Ranch, Colorado
High-performance GSHP system for a large-scale luxury residence, including outstanding energy modeling, system analysis, and computational fluid dynamics modeling – all delivering comfort and energy resilience without compromise.
✓ Luxury residential GSHP
NALANDABODHI BUDDHIST CENTER, Boulder, Colorado
Fully electric building with a hydronic GSHP and air-to-water fan coils, which were selected for near-silent operation in the shrine room, a clean roofline, and flexible zoning. Meets ASHRAE 90.1 and City of Boulder energy amendments.
✓ All-electric · ASHRAE 90.1 compliant
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH, Denver, CO
Community
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH
Denver, CO
Full HVAC redesign for net zero. DMA’s energy modeling demonstrated the path to performance and helped the congregation raise the required funds. Result: GSHP, LED lighting, and energy recovery ventilators.
✓ Net zero achieved
NEDERLAND TOWN SHOP, Nederland, CO
Government
NEDERLAND TOWN SHOP
Nederland, CO
Net zero municipal facility. DMA ran 10 parametric energy model scenarios and presented findings to the town’s board of trustees, resulting in a GSHP system paired with 10 kW solar PV.
✓ Net zero achieved
WINTER PARK RESORT — ALTERRA MOUNTAIN, Winter Park, CO
Hospitality
WINTER PARK RESORT — ALTERRA MOUNTAIN
Winter Park, CO
Energy Master Plan for a major resort expansion. DMA identified the Fraser River and Moffat Tunnel as viable energy sources and uncovered synergies between the ice rink, pool, and snowmelt systems.
✓ $230K+/yr projected savings · 975+ tons CO₂ eliminated annually
Resources
LEARN MORE ABOUT GSHP
We’re here when you’re ready to talk about ground source heat pump. We look forward to helping you do it right, right from the start.
Buildings Can Do More. So Can We.
DMA Engineering was founded on a single belief: that buildings can and should be better members of society. Ground source heat pump systems are the most powerful tool we have to make that true. GSHPs deliver energy independence, long-term financial returns, and a path to net zero that is engineered in from the start.
We’re on our way to 9,000,000 square feet of net zero design. We’d like your building to be part of that.
The best time to think about your mechanical systems is before anyone else does. DMA engages early, models rigorously, and stays involved for the life of your building. If you’re planning a project or rethinking an existing one, let’s start that conversation now.
Contact DMA Engineering info@dma-eng.com · 303.732.5559 · dma-eng.com