Aalto University’s Energy Saving Measures Bring Promising Results

The absolute electricity consumption on the campus decreased by around 2.4% and the absolute heat consumption decreased by around 11% between October–November 2021 and October–November 2022. This means that the overall energy consumption on the campus has decreased. The energy saving campaign was launched on Monday 10 October 2022.

So far, the most significant energy saving measures concerning buildings have included the optimisation of the operating times of ventilation units and changes to lighting control. These will be expanded to cover the entire campus during the winter. Other energy saving studies and measures have also been launched. In addition, energy saving tips and questions presented by the community have been discussed and have been implemented as far as applicable in university units and ACRE.

Weather has a significant impact on energy consumption
The weather considerably affects heat and electricity consumption on the campus. The average temperature in Espoo in October was almost the same in 2021 and 2022, and November in 2022 was only slightly warmer than in 2021. This means that actual energy savings have been achieved jointly by the community. These savings have been significant, particularly in terms of heating.

The Aalto community as a whole aims to reduce energy consumption by 15% over the course of 12 months from the beginning of the campaign. By reducing energy consumption, we can reduce the likelihood of an electricity shortage and the ensuing scheduled power cuts.