The first Steering Committee Meeting of the GeoBuilding – Fostering ground source geothermal energy-based energy refurbishments in the border area project was held on 9 October 2025 at the Creative Industries Incubator (ENTER) in Koprivnica. GeoBuilding project officially commenced on 1 September 2025 and brings together eight partners from Croatia and Hungary with the aim of promoting the sustainable use of shallow geothermal energy in the cross-border area. The project is co-funded by the EU Interreg Hungary-Croatia Cross-border-Co-operation Programme and focuses on enhancing the energy refurbishment of public buildings and creating a more balanced energy mix through the efficient use of geothermal energy in the public sector.
GeoBuilding project is oriented towards fostering innovative solutions for the utilization of shallow geothermal energy as a renewable resource, with a particular emphasis on improving energy efficiency, reducing CO₂ emissions, and strengthening the capacities of local communities for implementing sustainable energy projects.
Partner Presentations and Project Activities
Following the formal introduction of the partner teams, lead partner University of Pécs, presented the structure of project activities, which encompass management, technical, and communication work packages. The presentation highlighted the importance of cross-border cooperation and experience sharing in the planning and implementation of geothermal solutions.
The central part of the meeting was dedicated to reviewing and discussing potential challenges that may arise during the implementation of pilot investments planned within the project. These pilot investments represent crucial steps toward demonstrating the practical efficiency and applicability of geothermal systems.
Pilot Investments in Croatia and Hungary
As part of the planned pilot investments, REA North will develop an information platform – the Virtual One-Stop-Shop (vOSS). This AI-driven digital platform will provide technical, legal, and financial information related to geothermal investments, aiming to support local communities, investors, and other stakeholders in the decision-making process.
In addition to REA North’s initiative, City of Koprivnica presented its pilot investment focused on the energy refurbishment of the heating system in the Crvenkapica Kindergarten, through the installation of a water-to-water heat pump system utilizing shallow geothermal groundwater sources. This investment will significantly reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring a more sustainable heating system for the facility.
Furthermore, Medjimurje County and the Medjimurje Energy Agency (MENEA) presented their pilot investment at the Donji Kraljevec Primary School, where the existing heating system will be replaced with a new, energy-efficient geothermal-based solution.
University of Pécs also presented its pilot investment, which includes replacing the existing natural gas heating system with a fan-coil heating system at the University’s Research Institute of Viticulture and Enology. This investment aims to achieve a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions and involves geological surveys and the drilling of four to six boreholes for geothermal energy use, making it both technically demanding and strategically important for the future development of geothermal infrastructure.
Next Steps
At the conclusion of the meeting, partners announced the upcoming kick-off conference of GeoBuilding project, scheduled for early November in Pécs. The conference will bring together representatives of local authorities, academia, the business sector, and the wider public, with the goal of promoting the project’s objectives and facilitating knowledge exchange on the potential of geothermal energy utilization in public buildings.