Rättvik public real estate company, RFAB manages all buildings for Rättvik municipality. Enåbacken elderly home was built in the early 1990s with a ventilation system which was then modern, but which now needs to be replaced.
“One reason for the investment is that we also want to install comfort cooling,” says CEO Björn “Ebbe” Evbjer. “It is not an acceptable working environment for the staff with some days over thirty degrees indoors and the elderly should not have to experience such a summer again.”
Another problem is the noise from the ventilation, especially in some rooms. To get a fresh air, the ventilation is forced, which causes a disturbing noise.
The solution chosen is to replace the entire ventilation unit with a new one that has fans with variable frequency drive (VFD) and with more efficient heat exchangers, while installing also comfort cooling.
“We made a similar solution in another property and saved 50% of the energy use and I think we will save a lot also here,” says real estate technician Robert Lassar.
Photo: Robert Lassar at Rättviks Fastighets AB shows the ventilation that will now be replaced by better and more energy efficient
The ventilation is placed on the wind and the new units will be lifted in through a hole in the roof that we will make. In this way, less disturbance is created for the people living and working in the building.
The project EFFECT4buildings has mapped the indoor environment before the measures and will follow up with new measurements afterwards in order to be able to compare. What is mainly measured is carbon dioxide, draft, temperature, humidity and noise. Energy consumption is followed up. “It gives us knowledge that can be used in the continued work to help building managers with advice and knowledge,” says Hans Ahlin, project assistant manager.
“We do not yet know if we will bring down the noise enough from the ventilation. The channels can be too narrow, but we’ll see that in the next step when this measure is made,” says Robert Lassbo.
The visit also stated that there is a need to review the lighting that probably does not correspond to the lighting needs of an older person. Also, here EFFECT4buildings can give advice and help improve planning.
Photo: To the left: lighting in the apartment’s kitchen and to the right: lighting in the living room
About EFFECT4buildings:
EFFECT4buildings is implemented with the support from the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Program 2014-2020 (European Regional Development Fund) and Norwegian national funding. The aim of the project is to improve the capacity of public building managers in the Baltic Sea Region by providing a comprehensive decision-making support toolbox with a set of financial instruments to unlock the investments and lower the risks of implementing energy efficiency measures in buildings owned by public stakeholders. For more information: http://www.effect4buildings.se
Text author: Marit Ragnarsson, EFFECT4buildings Project Manager, Länsstyrelsen Dalarnas län
