Uppåkra has taken a holistic approach to its climate
Uppåkra Church in the Diocese of Lund is currently in excellent condition, but like so many other churches, the indoor climate has historically caused issues with both mold and high heating costs.
"We have spent upwards of 30 million on renovations in recent years, partly due to moisture-related problems", says Lars Törnqvist, Head of Real Estate for the Uppåkra parish.
During the summers, they have also been forced to heat the church up to nearly 30 degrees Celsius to reduce the moisture content, at the expense of both economy and comfort. Aside from drainage issues, heating and various types of additional insulation have resulted in the church no longer being ventilated in the same way as in the past.
For a few years now, the church has had a climate control system installed, featuring a function that heats the church to lower the humidity. In late summer, when the outdoor air is both warm and humid, the church has consequently been heated far beyond comfort levels.
"We have had to turn off the heating before services so that visitors wouldn't turn around at the door", adds the church caretaker, Ola Bengtsson.
Solution
During the summer of 2016, two FLEX Integrate dehumidifiers from Airwatergreen were installed. Since then, the climate has improved significantly while saving money thanks to a reduced need for heating. Furthermore, the dehumidifiers communicate with the control system to maintain a lower temperature.