Citycon has announced plans to convert to a geothermal heating and cooling system for Jakobsbergs Centrum, reducing the Swedish shopping centre’s energy consumption by up to 65%.
Jakobsbergs Centrum will become the biggest shopping centre in Sweden to convert to using a comprehensive geothermal plant, meaning that 97% of its heating and cooling will come from renewable energy and will be free from carbon dioxide emissions
The project is part of the shopping centre developer’s environmental strategy, which includes five-year targets to reduce the use of electricity, heating, cooling and water consumption, as well as carbon emissions across its network.
Head of Development at Citycon, Mattias Bernunger explained, “Shopping centres are major users of heating and cooling, and geothermal energy is therefore an attractive renewable alternative, which means that we will reduce the environmental impact considerably.”
Citycon is working in partnership with Adven, with CEO of the energy solutions supplier Jonas Häggqvist describing geothermal energy as “an environmentally friendly and cost effective option for property owners”.
“It also contributes to fulfil environmental certification specifications, a rapidly growing trend,” he added.
The new energy system in Jakobsbergs Centrum is expected to be up and running in autumn 2016, and if this pilot project succeeds, Citycon plans to install geothermal solutions into its other shopping centres as well.
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Jenny Whelan. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
