Blog series about energy, part 1:
Save energy and become a hero
Energy saving is a heroic act
Saving energy is always important, but in the current world situation it is a heroic act. Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has had a major impact on the availability and price of energy. At the same time, climate change and loss of biodiversity deepen the environmental crisis.
We can, however, influence crises – individually and together. Read about Koas’ energy actions here and in our upcoming blog posts. During this winter, we will share both practical tips for residents and information about Koas’ energy saving measures over the past almost twenty years. We at Koas believe that there is a small energy hero in all of us.
Importance of energy saving in student living
Small things have big impacts when we do them together. Although heating, electricity and water are included in the rent of Koas homes, availability of electricity, among other things, affects all of us during this winter. At the same time, many people want to take concrete actions to reduce their consumption out of solidarity, for environmental reasons, and to ensure energy supply.
Energy issues have a big impact also on the rent: As Koas is a non-for-profit foundation, the amount of all the expenses equals to the amount of rent collected. That means energy consumption affects everybody’s rent.
At Koas the portion of heating, electricity and water accounts for almost a third of maintenance costs, i.e., nearly €2,500,000 per year. However, energy saving measures over the past more than 15 years and residents’ diligent energy saving efforts have generated a computational saving of approximately €500,000 per year. Let’s keep up the good work!
Energy efficiency at Koas
Koas relies on green solutions for the supply of electricity and heating: at the time of writing this blog post, electricity is produced with hydro power and heating with Alva’s green district heating.
Technical energy saving and energy efficiency solutions are commonplace at Koas – we want to guarantee energy-efficient living at affordable prices for students in Jyväskylä. There are both planned and new energy efficiency actions underway.
For example, during this winter period, smart thermostats and water saving equipment will be installed and different types of measurement data will be analysed to identify items in need of repair effectively. Related to the energy hero campaign, Koas will also optimise the use of saunas and outdoor lighting.
Savings by optimizing sauna times
We have discussed the rate of use of saunas with Tenant Committees to identify the least popular sauna days on which saunas would then not be heated. Depending on the housing location, sauna days are reduced by one sauna day a week on average, which means more than 8,000 hours, i.e., 100 000 kWh of energy saved per year.
This corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of approx. 70 people living in a studio apartment. To ensure even more savings, Koas encourages the residents to use the sauna during the common sauna time slots (so-called after-workout or after-jogging sauna)!
We will make adjustments and optimisations in Koas’ housing locations at the turn of October and November 2022. Residents will be informed of changes in the residents newsletter. Available sauna time slots can be found in Koas Booking.
Energy hero tips for a Koas home
As a resident, you can contribute to saving energy in many ways. Stay tuned, we will share practical tips during the entire heating period via our social media channels and newsletters for residents. Quick energy saving tips:
1) Unplug: Unplug chargers and electrical devices after charging or use.
2) Stop wasting water: wash dishes smartly without running water and turn the shower off while you soap.
3) Remember to report: If your toilet bowl is trickling or a tap is dripping, report a fault immediately to the maintenance service of your housing location.
Koas wishes a relaxed and energy-efficient autumn and winter to each Koas home!
