Rethinking Residential Cooling in Europe: Leveraging Shallow Geothermal Energy Amidst Historical Architectural Challenges and Modern Heat Waves

As climate change drives up temperatures and the frequency of heatwaves, European cities face escalating demand for sustainable cooling solutions. Conventional air conditioning methods not only fail to meet these demands efficiently but also exacerbate environmental challenges. Shallow geothermal energy (SGE) offers a promising, sustainable alternative, yet architectural and infrastructural limitations, especially in historical urban landscapes, hinder its broader application. This paper examines the potential of SGE for urban cooling, identifying architectural barriers and presenting a comprehensive framework of solutions—ranging from retrofitting and district cooling systems to innovative policy incentives and data collection methods. By advancing these approaches, SGE can be positioned as a cornerstone of sustainable cooling in European urban planning.