If properly installed, optimized geoexchange systems can be one of the most cost effective, powerful options to accomplish the goal of improved energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions. Accurately quantifying field performance is an important step in designing a system that is the proper size and capacity. The authors share the real life scenario of a prestigious institution of higher education and how it entered into an agreement with a developer to build new space on campus. They wanted to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, and to help meet this goal they incorporated a geoexchange system into the design. As is often the case, the developer applied misguided geoexchange design methods. Ultimately they ended up with a system that cost much more than it should, and was destined to fail.