Numerical Simulation for Energy Quay Walls Application in the Venice Lagoon Environment

Buildings’ heating and cooling account for a substantial share of global energy consumption and the production of greenhouse gases. Shallow low-enthalpy geothermal energy represents a renewable, reliable, and locally avail-able resource capable of contributing to this transition. Energy geostructures, integrating heat exchanger systems into load-bearing structural elements, offer a cost-effective and space-efficient solution by combining structural and energy functions. Among recent developments, energy quay walls (EQWs) are thermo-active sheet pile structures that enable heat exchange with both the surrounding soil and adjacent water bodies. Field applications in the Netherlands have demon-strated encouraging thermal performance, with a significant proportion of energy extracted from surface water. However, EQW efficiency depends on geometric configuration, material properties, soil, and hydrogeological conditions; studies and simulations for a specific location are needed. This study investigates the potential application of EQWs in the Venice Lagoon through a thermodynamic finite element model. The lagoon’s shallow canals, semidiurnal tidal regime, and widespread use of quay walls for bank protection provide a distinctive setting for this technology. The model evaluates the thermal behaviour under bespoke site conditions, aiming to estimate recoverable geothermal energy for heating and cooling and to assess the suitability of EQWs as a sustainable solution for lagoon environments.