Aleksandar Jovanović (2018), Geothermal Use in Cities: A Comparative Analysis from Four Different Countries, Institute of Urbanism; 1st reviewer: Grigor Doytchinov, 2nd reviewer: Irene Peters; 250 pages, English.

The presented research was motivated by the question, whether the changes in energy supply technologies used for buildings, such as renewable energy sources (RES) and geothermal energy (GE), could have impact on the appearance of the buildings and urban settlement structure. The objective of the research was to acquire substantial knowledge on GE use in buildings, which would allow architects to re-think the role of a RES in design of cities. The above stated was carried out by means of expert interview model. The hypothesis in the research was that current sporadic and unsystematic use of technology in cities could be addressed in a more profound way. The concrete examples chosen for cross comparison
were different in terms of the types of GE potentials and levels of use (ground source heat pumps and geothermal district heating systems). The North American mid-sized city of Utica, NY, the Easter European city of Nis, Serbia, the capital of Iceland Reykjavik and Austrian towns of Braunau/Simbach and Altheim, were compared. The analysis of the urban morphology of the case studies was elaborated.
The results of more advanced case studies showed that GE planning was of informative nature only, in terms of urban planning. The American and East European cities were less prone to using local GE source, as compared to the advanced cases studies, such as Austrian towns, which illustrated the presence of these projects. Research on cultural factors that could influence a single end consumer to turn to GE is recommended for the future of GE utilization in cities. Changes in demography (millennial generation) can initiate a broader use of GE, as well as pilot projects, which demonstrate that GE does exist in a city.
In conclusion, GE´s utilization is supportive of the ongoing changes in cities and their planning, which involve proposals for thermal and power grids and solar architecture. One way of supporting GE utilization in cities is through investing in energy efficiency and
turning to passive design in urban planning. This combination is especially important for many cities worldwide which are facing urban sprawl and transport issues. Finally, the dying out of many rural places in Eastern Europe could be mitigated by investing into GE infrastructure. This aspect of GE can help address a more alleviated urban development of urban and rural wholes. Finally, the value of centralized GSHP for mixed-use neighborhood planning is especially notable for further research on GE in cities.