# AI chatbot for geothermal permit applications

> We built an AI chatbot for Herrljunga municipality that guides citizens through geothermal permit applications via chat, interactive maps, and automated geographic validation.

**Kund:** Herrljunga kommun

**Publicerad:** 2026

**Källa:** https://www.fiive.se/en/work/herrljunga-chatbot

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## Challenge

Applying for geothermal permits is often complex for residents. The process requires multiple inputs, geographic context, and clear rules, which can lead to uncertainty, abandoned applications, and many manual questions.

## Solution

We built an AI-powered chatbot that works as a chat-based form across the full application flow.

The solution guides users step by step and collects the right information in the right order. Interactive maps and geographic checks are used during the process to validate conditions instantly, so users get clear feedback quickly.

What makes the flow possible to automate is that the rules for geothermal heating are just that — rules. They can be checked, not interpreted. The AI here is not an oracle but a form that asks the next question based on the previous answer.

The checks run against the Swedish National Heritage Board's register of ancient monuments, Lantmäteriet (the national land survey) and the municipality's own GIS. That is what makes instant feedback possible: instead of a case officer later discovering that the chosen location sits on an ancient monument, the applicant finds out while still filling in the application.

The chatbot runs on GPT-4o via Azure OpenAI, deployed within the EU. For a municipality that is not a technical detail but a precondition: residents' data in an application must not leave the EU.

## What We Built

- **Chat-based application flow** - A dialogue-driven form that turns complex requirements into clear steps.
- **Interactive maps** - In-flow map support to simplify location input and improve understanding.
- **Geographic checks** - Automated validation against the National Heritage Board's register of ancient monuments, Lantmäteriet and the municipality's GIS during the application.
- **Fast feedback** - Clear answers early in the process instead of uncertain waiting.

## Status and expected impact

The solution is in a test phase with the municipality. What follows is therefore what it is built to achieve, not measured outcomes:

- A more accessible and user-friendly entry point for geothermal permit applications.
- Fewer process uncertainties thanks to guided flow and real-time validation.
- More efficient case handling as more applications arrive with correct information and location data from the start.

## Next Steps

Want to build an AI-powered chatbot? [Contact us](/en/contact) and we’ll set up an intro call.