Blow the whistle on energy guzzlers on the campus of Aalto University!

Ventilation adjustments have been reviewed on campus before, especially in recent years. Sensible ventilation reduces both electricity and heat consumption. Ventilation modernization at, e.g. the Valimohalli at Puumiehenkuja 3, Otakaari 4, and Maarintie 8 have yielded several percent savings in the properties' electricity consumption, without undermining the users’ conditions in the buildings.

Control ventilation equipment will also be adjusted in other buildings on the campus. We also encourage everyone to reduce ventilation from open windows.

Energy-efficient lighting has a considerable impact on the energy consumption of buildings. During the past ten years, we have shifted to energy-saving LED lighting in, e.g. Maarintalo, Maarintie 8, a part of Otakaari 1, and in numerous outdoor lights. We also install LEDs when lights in a property must be replaced.

Motion sensors are utilized in lighting. Users of the premises are instructed to switch off unnecessary lighting. A lighting control project is currently underway at Väre, for example. We also pay attention to outdoor and advertisement lighting.

Indoor temperatures will be reviewed during the 2022 winter and adjusted where necessary. Also, heat recovery will be optimised.

Metro block (A Block, School of Business, Väre) energy consumption has been carefully studied since its completion, and areas of improvement have been found in control of both building service systems and the geothermal heat system. The area of the block is so large that even minor control measures can produce significant savings. Artificial intelligence has also been utilised in control of building automation more extensively.

In renovation projects, the sustainability perspective is already taken into account automatically. Good examples of this include the renovations of Dipoli, A Grid (Otakaari 5), Vuorimiehentie 2, and A Blanc, for instance. These have resulted in the excavation of new geothermal heat wells on the campus.

Rakentajanaukio 4, which was constructed in 1959, is one of the oldest buildings on campus. The most recent energy-related measure on the site is balancing the radiator network. Similar actions are taken elsewhere on campus also.

Ecological measures are carried out in other ways too, by replacing solutions that consume plenty of energy with smart ones, such as replacing oil heating at Metsähovi with geothermal heat.

The pressure level of tap water has been reduced throughout the campus. We have also ensured that the temperature of the hot water is not too high.

It is easier to save water, electricity and heat in each building when you can see the building-specific consumption as an easy visualisation. The next time you visit a building on our campus, touch an info screen and look at the consumption data of every building there. The visualisation of consumption details of properties was implemented in cooperation with Aalto students’ ITP project team.

Most of us can affect energy saving in the facilities we use by adjusting the temperature and lighting of our working spaces, for example. This can be done in most properties on campus. We have also instructed people to switch off unnecessary electrical devices, take advantage of energy saving settings, and remove unused charges from wall outlets.

In the spirit of energy saving, campus saunas will be closed temporarily.