Structural problems with buildings close to a geothermal installation in Germany were reported in this column in the September issue. The reaction from trade bodies has been to emphasize there is no threat from such systems providing the installer follows the code of practice published by the German Heat Pump Association (BWP) which covers the geotechnical aspects as well as the question of liability. Damages directly caused by such installations are rare – less than 0.3%, according to the geothermal federation CtV-BV in Berlin./p>