Aminkartano was built in the early 1980s. It has 32 residential units and about ten commercial spaces. The building uses district heating, and the HögforsGST heat recovery system was installed in 2021. Additional renovations, such as balancing the heating system and replacing the radiator thermostats, were implemented a few years later.
The HybridHEAT system captures the warm air expelled via the building’s exhaust air unit and uses it for heating throughout the year. Besides heating the indoor spaces, recovered heat is also used for heating water, thus saving costs throughout the year.
Atte Ojanen, Development Manager at Kontu Isännöinti, says that acquiring the system has proven to be a very worthwhile investment for the housing company. Within a few years, the energy savings end up recouping the initial investment.
– This is a very efficient system. We’ve saved roughly 30,000 euros a year in heating costs. Our investment was around 190,000 euros, so the system pays for itself in about seven years.
A reliable system
Aminkartano made the decision to acquire the heat recovery system in the spring of 2021. Installation began in the autumn of that year, and the system was up and running by December. One of the advantages of HybridHEAT is that its installation does not disrupt the building’s occupants.
– The installation took a few months, but it didn’t cause any inconvenience for the building’s residents or businesses. Entry into the apartments or commercial spaces was not required since all the work was done in the common areas and outside the building. The renovation was very unobtrusive, Ojanen explains.
The HybridHEAT system has been very reliable. Over three years of use at Aminkartano so far, any need for maintenance or repair has been negligible. According to Ojanen, the only real maintenance has been replacing the filter in the heat recovery unit, which is handled annually by the property maintenance company. HybridHEAT also includes the HybridREADY district heating substation, which is equipped with a remote control system known as the Fiksu Control System. This can be accessed remotely for easy optimization and monitoring of the substation.
– With the Fiksu Control System’s interface, I can always see how the equipment is performing. It also provides data on things like how much money we’ve saved and the system’s efficiency ratio. This is all accessible in real time.
Easy to recommend
According to Ojanen, HögforsGST’s customer service has been excellent. Because the system has worked so well, there has been little need for ongoing contact. However, the collaboration went smoothly during the purchase and installation phase, and HögforsGST has since continued to respond quickly to any inquiries.
Overall, HybridHEAT has been a successful investment for Aminkartano. After a hassle-free installation, the experience has been entirely positive for both the housing company and the occupants, and the system has cut the building’s district heating consumption by nearly half. Ojanen sees HybridHEAT as an excellent solution especially for larger housing companies, where the heat consumption is high enough that the system pays for itself relatively quickly.
– The system has worked well, and I recommend it to other housing companies as well, Ojanen concludes.
