Never before has this much work been invested in building energy-efficient properties as today. New materials, new technology, improved insulation, more efficient heating and increased knowledge brings values the industry should to be proud of.
However, what is often missed is reducing energy consumption during the construction process itself. Many studies have been done that unanimously show that electricity consumption during this phase could be decreased by 20-30%. The report Energy-efficient construction sites¹ present statistics from Statistics Sweden, which shows that the construction sector, in 2004, consumed 747,400 MWh of electricity. Modern technology should make it possible to reduce electricity consumption by about 40% of this meaning that there is a saving potential of about SEK 200 million annually for the construction industry. These are numbers that Vasakronan has taken seriously - now it's time to move from theory to practice!!
Traditionally, different types of ventilation and / or heating of the air are often used during the construction process. This is because they want to reduce the humidity levels in the building materials but also to keep the relative moisture level (RF) below 60% in the building itself. Ventilation and heating during the construction process is expensive, not least given that a lot of energy and leaving the building.
Airwatergreen is currently involved in various projects where the aim is to reduce energy consumption but also to reduce construction time. One of the projects is the Vasakronan's property Celsius in Uppsala. Here a significant reduction in energy consumption has been verified but also an improved climate in the building during the project.
The Airwatergreen dehumidifier is one of the key factors that made a significant saving possible. The dehumidifiers are based on a new Swedish patented technology that needs half as much energy. The dehumidifier is also equally effective at all temperatures, even at low temperatures, which enables a reduction of heating. The water is taken out of the air by the machine which means that you do not need to vent any air out from the building. This means that all added energy to the dehumidifier is used inside the building.
- We are pleasantly surprised and very pleased with the reduction in heating costs. We have also had a pleasant indoor climate throughout the project, says Anders Boström, project manager at Vasakronan. The heating we have used has come from district heating and it has been lower than we expected, Anders continues. In the next project, we will use dehumidifiers, just as in Celsius, but we will lower the indoor temperature a few degrees. This will mean that we will reduce the energy bill even further ...
"It is extremely fun and exciting to be able to help reduce energy consumption also during the construction processes," says Bo Tiderman, CEO of Airwatergreen. Our dehumidifiers have previously made it possible to lower heating cost and energy consumption for many property owners when maintaining a good indoor climate preventing damages from humidity. This will be yet one more area where we can help reach our climate goals!
For further information, please contact
Bo Tiderman Phone 070-581 82 72 bo.tiderman@airwatergreen.com
¹SBUF 12416 Final Report Energy Efficient Construction Workplaces, Gothenburg 2013
