Oliver Larsson: “We Need to Stop Thinking in Projects and Start Thinking in Systems”

To meet climate targets, new ways of working, new collaborations and above all a willingness to actually act are required. That is the view of Oliver Larsson, CEO of Energy Machines, who explains how it is possible to think systematically, collaborate across boundaries and use energy more intelligently instead of simply producing more.

The property sector is in the midst of a decisive transformation. Climate requirements, rising energy prices and stricter regulations are driving a transition without precedent. At the same time, it is an industry that has long moved slowly, where the technology often exists but decisions are delayed.

To reach climate targets, buildings must become both energy efficient and circular. As CEO of Energy Machines, Oliver Larsson sees daily how the property sector struggles with change, and how the solutions often relate more to ways of working than to technology.

“There is enormous potential in the property sector, but we need to stop thinking in projects and start thinking in systems. It is not about building more technology, but about using it in the right way,” he says.

From technology supplier to energy partner

Energy Machines develops integrated energy systems for buildings and cities, where heating, cooling and electricity interact instead of counteracting each other. Larsson describes how many property owners still see the energy transition as a project with a beginning and an end, when in fact it requires a long term shift that must permeate the entire organisation.

“Technology is often the easy part. The difficult part is changing how you govern and coordinate. Today, the Head of Sustainability sits in the executive team, which was not the case ten years ago. That says a lot about how fast this is moving.”

When sustainability moves into the boardroom

With a background in digitalisation and smart buildings, Oliver has followed how the conversation in the industry has gradually changed. Where discussions previously focused on technology and solutions, they now focus equally on business, risk and long term sustainability.

“Previously, everyone talked about technology. Now we talk about business, and sustainability follows from that. It makes the picture more complex, but also more powerful when those elements meet,” he says.

For him, this is the real shift: sustainability is no longer a side track but a natural part of the core business. And when technology meets executive leadership, when operations and finance start speaking the same language, new opportunities emerge to rethink energy itself.

“There is no longer just one decision maker. There is a CEO, a CFO, a Head of Sustainability, an Operations Manager, and they are all dancing the same dance but to different music. It is only when they find the same rhythm that something truly happens.”

Thinking of energy as something circular

At its core, this shift is about seeing energy in a new way. For Oliver, circularity is not a buzzword but a way of thinking about value. He compares it to returning cans and bottles: the energy you have already paid for should be able to be used again.

“Today, it rarely looks like that. Many buildings are heated and cooled at the same time, like pressing the accelerator and the brake simultaneously. It works, but it is neither economical nor sustainable,” he says.

The energy systems of the future are therefore not about producing more, but about using what already exists in a smarter way. When energy can move between buildings, districts and operations, new opportunities arise, where waste heat from a data centre can heat a swimming pool and cooling from an ice rink can be used in office buildings.

“We call it lateral energy ecosystems, flows that move across buildings, districts and cities. It is about thinking of energy as something mobile, something that circulates.”

The energy transition begins with people

Despite the availability of technology and a growing number of success stories, change is still progressing slowly. According to Oliver Larsson, the issue is not a lack of solutions, but culture.

“Gatekeeping is still common. Many want to protect what they already know. But we will not get anywhere if we do not share experiences and dare to let go of control,” he says.

He calls for a more open and collaborative industry, where courage and curiosity outweigh prestige.

“I often say we need more commercial courage. Dare to say what you think, even if it is not fully formed. That is how truly smart solutions emerge.”

For Oliver, the energy transition is fundamentally as much about people as it is about technology.

Those who dare to test, fail and try again are the ones who will drive change forward. But for it to succeed, more people need to understand how everything is connected, from the person living in a building to the bank financing it, the municipality planning it and the university educating future experts.

“The energy transition is not just a technical issue, it is a societal issue. Everyone who moves through a city is part of the energy ecosystem,” says Oliver Larsson.

Meeting places that drive change

For collaboration to become more than good intentions, places are needed where people actually meet, where ideas are tested, perspectives are challenged and new partnerships can grow.

“We need meeting places where technology, finance and sustainability truly come together. There are plenty of events where people drink coffee and pat each other on the back. That is no longer enough,” says Oliver Larsson.

He sees Clima Energy Nordic as precisely such an arena, a place where conversations can lead to action and where different perspectives can meet on equal terms. But for the shift to truly happen, collaboration must also extend beyond national borders.

“We need to build bridges between industry, academia and the public sector, and dare to take a more active international role. We are far ahead in the Nordic region and should show it more, export our solutions and communicate what we can actually deliver,” he says.

And although change can sometimes feel slow, Oliver sees a clear movement. More and more stakeholders want to understand, contribute and act.

“Interest is growing rapidly, from property owners, cities and banks. People understand that sustainability is also business. Now it is about putting that into practice. Everyone knows what should be done, the question is who will do it first.”

Oliver’s three best tips for property companies

1. Think systems, not projects
   • The energy transition is not something you do once, it is a way of working. To succeed, property companies need to stop seeing energy as a single project and instead build systems that function over time.
2. Make sustainability part of the business
   • Sustainability cannot sit alongside core operations. When operations, finance and management work towards the same goals, the conditions for real change are created.
3. Cultivate courage and curiosity in the organisation
   • Those who dare to test, share knowledge and collaborate across boundaries will lead development. Gatekeeping and prestige slow change down, courage and openness drive it forward.

Clima Energy Nordic is the Nordic region’s new meeting place for sustainable and energy efficient buildings and facilities. With a focus on efficient energy use in heating, ventilation and cooling for indoor climate, property owners, investors, installers, suppliers, consultants, researchers and decision makers come together to drive the development towards sustainable buildings, facilities and profitable investments.

About Clima Energy Nordic