A semi-analytical model that couples a model outside the borehole with one inside the borehole is proposed. To examine the effect of temperature rise in the soil surrounding a vertical ground heat exchanger on the performance of an associated ground heat pump, the heat pump model should be coupled to the model inside the borehole and the conduction heat transfer model outside the borehole. The running fluid temperature, the borehole wall temperature and the heat load profile are the main coupling parameters between the three models. The results of the analytical model are compared with ones of a finite volume numerical model. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.