How Wihlborgs brought energy, economy and climate together in one investment

At a time when many property owners are struggling to make the business case for sustainability investments, Wihlborgs has long worked with energy efficiency as a way to both reduce climate impact and strengthen the business. Together with Klimatkyl, the company has developed solutions that lower energy use, reduce emissions from refrigerants and offer short payback periods.

Few topics spark as much discussion in the property industry as energy. Despite increasing demands for sustainability and reporting, many energy efficiency projects still never make it past the planning stage.

For Jan Larsson, Operations Manager at Wihlborgs, the issue is often that the focus ends up in the wrong place.

“You have to look at the bigger picture. Solar panels, batteries and other technologies can be good, but first you need to understand the property and where the energy is actually being used,” he says.

He has worked with installations, energy and operational issues at Wihlborgs for more than 30 years. During that same period, he has built a long term partnership with Klimatkyl around energy optimisation, cooling systems and technology development.

“The first major project we did together was back in the early 1990s. After that, the collaboration continued. We got along well, could calculate things in the same way and understood each other,” says Jan Larsson.

Collaboration beyond individual projects

According to Emil Silverberg, CEO of Climat80 Gruppen, of which Klimatkyl is part, it is precisely this continuity that has made the difference.

“I would say this is collaboration for real. Many people talk about collaboration today, but here we have actually worked together over a long period of time and solved problems together.”

Over the years, the partnership has resulted in a modular concept for cooling and heating systems where natural refrigerants are combined with advanced controls and energy recovery. The goal has never been to install new technology for the sake of technology itself.

“What is unique is that we have managed to bring together the environment, the economy, energy and operational reliability in the same project,” says Emil Silverberg.

An unexpected climate culprit

An important insight came when Wihlborgs began mapping its emissions.

“When we started looking at the impact of refrigerants, we saw that they accounted for around 70 percent of Wihlborgs’ climate impact. No one believed it at first, but the numbers were correct,” says Jan Larsson.

That became the starting point for a more systematic effort to phase out older refrigerants and replace them with natural alternatives. At the same time, it became clear that energy efficiency could have a greater impact than many had expected.

From energy class D to B

One example is Baltzar City in Malmö, where the old cooling machines had reached the end of their technical lifespan. Instead of replacing the equipment with a traditional solution, Wihlborgs and Klimatkyl chose to rebuild the system using the modular CCU concept.

The result was lower energy use, reduced climate impact and an energy rating that improved from D to B.

“This is not the cheapest solution, but it is the best one. And we were able to make the business case work,” says Emil Silverberg.

The project achieved a payback period of around four and a half years, while both district heating and electricity consumption were significantly reduced.

For many property owners, energy efficiency is no longer just about reducing consumption. Energy performance has also become an increasingly important factor in the long term value of a property.

When Baltzar City moved from energy class D to B, it not only created lower operating costs, but also better conditions for financing and future value development.

“In the past, the focus was almost entirely on energy costs. Today, energy ratings, sustainability targets and access to green loans also affect how investments are assessed. That is why this type of project is interesting from several perspectives at the same time,” says Emil Silverberg.

Experience as a competitive advantage

A recurring question for people in Jan Larsson’s position is how to get approval for investments that require high upfront costs. For him, much of it comes down to being able to make realistic calculations and understanding how properties actually work.

“To date, I have not failed with a single calculation,” says Jan Larsson.

Behind that confidence, however, are not advanced models or extensive reports, but experience and a deeper understanding of energy use.

“You have to understand the whole property. If you do not understand how the building works, you cannot calculate it properly either,” he says.

Knowledge that needs to be shared

On 18 August, Wihlborgs and Klimatkyl will share their experiences during Clima Energy Nordic’s inspiration lunch in Malmö. The day will conclude with a study visit where participants can see the solutions on site.

The hope is that more property owners will become aware of the opportunities.

“What we want to show is how to bring energy, the environment and the economy together in the same project. If you do not succeed with all three, there will be no investment,” concludes Emil Silverberg.

About Clima Energy Nordic

Clima Energy Nordic is the first Nordic meeting place focused on efficient energy use in cooling, heating and ventilation for indoor climate. Here, property owners, installers, suppliers, experts and decision makers meet to share knowledge, create business opportunities and drive the development of energy efficient and sustainable buildings together. Read more and register for free entrance ticket »

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