Senate’s Energy Saving Programme saves millions – efforts continue during the summer
Senate Group’s Energy Saving Programme delivered significant savings during the winter. By the end of March, the programme had delivered energy savings of around 40,000 MWh, which is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of around 5,000 one-bedroom apartments and around €5 million savings in monetary terms, in properties owned by Senate Group. The programme continues with savings measures during the summer.
In October 2022, Senate Group launched an extensive Energy Saving Programme in government properties. Energy savings measures were implemented in around a thousand buildings across Finland.
Most of the energy saving, around 30,000 MWh, was in heating energy. Electricity saving by the end of March amounted to around 10,000 MWh. By the end of March, energy saving amounted to 25,000 MWh in Senate Properties properties and to around 15,000 MWh in Defence Properties Finland properties. There are significant variations in property-specific energy saving potential and in the savings reached. It was not possible to cut energy consumption in some facilities used 24/7 by the Defence Administration and other security actors.
Users of government facilities have had a positive approach to energy saving and there has been no increase in negative feedback about lower indoor temperatures.
“It’s been great to note how facilities users have seen the importance of energy saving and have also been active themselves. We collected ideas and feedback through different channels and received almost 10,000 ideas from our clients. It is also a tough call for our property management to achieve savings without reducing the pleasantness of indoor conditions,” says Sanna Jääskeläinen, Energy Saving Programme Coordinator, Marketing and Communications Director.
Senate’s Energy Saving Programme continues until the end of 2023, after which the work already done in the programme will become part of regular operations and process development. The overall aim of the programme is to cut total energy consumption by 50,000–75,000 MWh, and judging by the results reached so far, this goal will be reached.
“Even though the immediate threat of an electricity shortage is over, it is still important to save energy. Central government still pays a much higher price for energy than in earlier years and the end of imports from Russia affects the availability of fuels for domestic heat production. Each watt saved impacts both the environment and the economy,” Jääskeläinen says.
Energy saving continues in the summer
The Energy Saving Programme now continues with measures that can reduce summer consumption. There is much less saving potential than in the winter but electricity can be saved in particular by adjusting cooling, for example.
During the summer, property maintenance adjusts mechanical and electrical solutions and cooling in mechanically cooled buildings so that cooling does not result in normal office temperatures dropping below 24°C. Exceptions include windowless facilities where there is a continuous need for cooling as well as other premises requiring more intensive cooling.
Facilities users themselves cannot impact the need for cooling and Senate’s plan is to guide facilities users on energy saving also during the summer. It is helpful for facilities users to know, for example, how to use venetian blinds and to ensure that electrical devices or lighting are not left on unnecessarily.
“Adjusting the angle of venetian blinds on sunny days can easily result in halving the amount of solar heat radiation entering and providing daylight in premises. In mechanically cooled buildings, active use of venetian blinds reduces the cooling need while reducing the risk of any draughts caused by cooling equipment,” says Pasi Pipatti, Specialist, Indoor Climate and Energy Use.
Read more about the Energy Saving Programme on Senate’s website: Energy Saving Programme
