This paper presents a methodology for designing Laboratory Borehole Storages (LABS) intended to generate reference Thermal Response Functions (TRFs) for model validation. The design method is based on analytically-derived invariance requirements demanding the conservation of the Fourier and Biot numbers. Accordingly, convective boundary conditions (BCs) need to be up-scaled when downscaling the borehole field, especially for short boreholes. Indeed, numerical simulations show that natural convection as top BC leads to TRF values more than 14 % higher than a Dirichlet BC. In addition, this BC effect is proposed as a possible explanation for previously reported differences between experimental and analytical results. Finally, the numerical simulations are used to find suitable size – height and radius of twice the borehole length–and test durations for the LABS.