Housing companies can save significant costs with Tunesmart
Housing companies As Oy Helsingin Pitäjänhovi and As Oy Helsingin Pitäjänpuisto in Helsinki were facing energy wastage due to suboptimal heating control. To address this issue, they installed Tunesmart solution, which controls heating based on indoor climate conditions. The housing companies have seen a reduction in their energy usage by an average of 20% since installation.
Heating costs are often one of the largest expenses for properties. However, in many housing companies, heating is regulated based on average temperature without considering the conditions of individual apartments or external weather.
Housing companies As Oy Pitäjänhovi and As Oy Pitäjänpuisto wanted to modernize the heat distribution of their apartments as part of their building automation renovation. In addition to new automation systems with central units and temperature controllers, both companies installed wireless climate sensors in all 139 apartments, which enable specific climate monitoring.
Thanks to Tunesmart solution, the housing companies’ apartments can adjust their heating levels according to climate conditions and therefore limit their consumption based on actual needs.
Reduction in heat consumption of up to 20% and more
As the housing companies transitioned to temperature controls based on actual climate conditions, they achieved significant savings only months into the cold season.
“In both housing companies, heating consumption is down considerably compared to before,” says Property Manager Oskari Laine. “In September, temperature-adjusted consumption was 28.9% lower in Pitäjänhovi and 16.4% lower in Pitäjänpuisto than the previous year.”
Before apartment-specific temperature monitoring, tenants were tempted to keep heating at a high level, as if to be on the safe side. Fidelix’s TuneSmart solution has since removed this temptation and has enabled the housing companies to maintain an excellent standard of living while cutting consumption at the same time.
“When it comes to saving energy, the living conditions of residents take precedence,” says Laine. “Indoor air temperature must remain constant to ensure that residents are comfortable. Fidelix's system allows us to set a desired target temperature and monitor conditions on an apartment-by-apartment basis.” "We are very satisfied with the system’s user-friendliness and the cost savings it brings,” he adds.
Optimal temperature without compromising comfort
Samuli Kettunen, Head of Unit at Fidelix’s subsidiary, Säätölaitehuolto, says that there is plenty of room for improvement in the heating system controls of Finnish housing companies.
“Heating controls are often based on a year-old estimate of outside air temperature that ignores actual indoor conditions and has not been checked for many years,” says Kettunen. “Often, the entire property is also heated based on the temperature in the coldest apartment.”
The Tunesmart energy efficiency solution's indoor climate sensors can collect data to create a 3D view of the building that maintenance personnel can use to easily spot potential issues with the heating system. For instance, faulty radiators or poor window seals may cause cooling, which can be fixed once they are located.
“Smart climate monitoring saves on costs,” concludes Kettunen. “It’s more cost-effective to resolve individual issues than to overheat the entire property.”