Positive change: buildings as batteries

In the latest episode of the Shaping Sustainable Places podcast, we learn how innovative approaches to energy storage and sharing at a local level are producing some extraordinary results. Our guests are Henrik Ahnström, who is Skanska’s Director of Product Process and Innovation within Commercial Development Nordics, and Niklas Johansson from European energy company E.ON.

Buildings are responsible for about 40 per cent of global emissions, and Henrik says we and other companies are looking for ways to reduce emissions through the smarter use of power. An example of this is Powerhouse Brattørkaia in Trondheim, Norway, a Skanska-built office building that generates much of its own electricity using an array of photovoltaic cells. At times when the power being generated is more than the building requires, the excess energy is stored in a battery. The battery is then used to charge an electric bus serving the neighborhood and also to help power the building at night or on cloudy days when the solar cells don’t enough power. 

Henrik also points to our Hyllie Terrass commercial development in Malmö where the building’s structure serves as a huge battery for thermal energy. Henrik explains how we work with energy supplier E.ON to share excess thermal energy with Hyllie Terrass’ residential and commercial neighbors. For example, in the evenings people in nearby homes often need heat for showers while offices do not, and thermal energy is sent across for this purpose. While this model shows great potential, some regulatory and investment hurdles need to be overcome for it to be widely adopted.

Reducing energy consumption by 75 percent

Niklas Johansson is E.ON’s commercial product manager for E.ON ectogrid™, an intelligent low-carbon network for thermal energy. He says the approach has the potential to cut the energy needed by consumers for heating and cooling by as much as 75 percent.

Nicklas says in Europe today, two separate infrastructure systems are used for heating and cooling, leading to great inefficiency and the consumption of twice as much energy as is actually needed. E.ON’s  ectogrid™ approach involves capturing and using the excess heat generated by cooling and the excess coolness generating by heating. The intelligent thermal grid directs the energy to where it’s needed, when it’s needed. For instance, the excess heat generated in keeping supermarkets cool can be captured and used for heating people’s homes. 

The system has been successful deployed on projects ranging from two buildings right through to 6,500 apartments. Niklas says a key benefit to such decentralized approaches to sharing energy is that they can deployed in phases, with neighboring areas able to join the grid at any time.

Niklas and Henrik’s insights provide enormous inspiration for forward-thinking planners, builders and municipal authorities.

For more details and expert insights, tune in to the full episode of Shaping Sustainable Places on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube.