New app to show users in Lund, Sweden, the benefits of district heating

A district heating scheme comprises a network of insulated pipes used to deliver heat, in the form of hot water or steam, from the point of generation (usually an energy centre) to the end user. The ability to integrate diverse energy sources means customers are not dependent upon a single source of supply. This helps guarantee reliability, continuity of service and can introduce an element of competition into the supply chain. It also allows for decarbonisation of the heat source in the long term.

The first smart district heating grids equipped with these smart heat exchangers and smart meters have already been implemented in Sweden, Denmark and Germany, predominantly in the residential sector, and great potential for future applications has been identified. Smart district heating and cooling grid deployment involves integration with urban planning and consultation with residents.

The EU’s CITYFIED project has taken the need for consultation to heart and in the Linero District of the Swedish city of Lund the project has a demosite covering an area of 40 400 m2. Sixteen buildings incorporating 379 dwellings, inhabited by 1 150 tenants are involved in the project.

To bring local residents on board the project has just launched an app developed by Swedish power company Kraftringen, in cooperation with a software company. The app has been developed as part of the CITYFIED project. The tenants who live in the apartments being retrofitted under the project have been involved in the app’s development and they and the others living in the demosite will be it’s the first users.

Ten families have tested the app under its development and in December 2017 a public launch was held in the local square. The goal is to make the app available to all of Kraftringen customers who will then be able to benefit from access to historical data from several years back (as long as they have been the company’s customers).

Working with residents but also involving multiple actors – bringing everyone on board

The project is taking an all-round approach to maximise energy consumption reductions. The energy company Kraftringen, the public housing company LKF, the Swedish environmental research institute IVL and the City of Lund all play a key role. One day a week the team gathers around the table to exchange ideas face-to-face and the partners take turns to host the sessions which allows them to gain insight into one another’s priorities.

The total energy savings in Linero have been calculated at approximately 52 kWh/m²/year, potentially even higher that the original target 30.8 %. Primary energy savings at the site have been established at 19 % and greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 26 %, using 2016 conversion factors.

CITIFIED is not only active in Lund but has communties of interest across Europe and two other demosites in Spain and Turkey.

For more information, please see:
Project website