Solar heat in Östersundom

Located next to the school building, the solar collectors are two metres in height and five metres in width. There are 16 collectors in all, with a total area of 160 square metres. Two chargers of 4,000 litres were also installed for storing solar heat.

- It is easy to integrate solar heat in the current heating system. Geothermal heat was introduced already in the early part of the year, and it has been producing heat ever since. In order to achieve optimal settings for geothermal heat, we will carry further tests in the summer, explains Project Manager Jaakko Tiittanen of Helsingin Energia.

The aim is to produce 80 per cent of the heat required by the school with renewable energy by next autumn. At the moment, it looks as if the target will be exceeded, and in terms of geothermal heat we would reach 80 per cent and with solar heat at least the 5 per cent we have aimed for. The remaining 15 per cent will be produced in an oil-fired heating plant, in which we also have successfully tested bio oil. The entire hybrid system will be completely ready in August.

Co-operation with the school

Helsingin Energia has involved the pupils and teachers in the planning on how to include the new heating system and the consumption data obtained from it as part of the school’s activities and teaching.

A display on heat production and consumption will be built in the school foyer. The display will show the source and amount of heat produced at different times.

- We organised a workshop for the teachers on the subject, and then we presented the drafts to the schoolchildren and heard their opinions. Next, we will work on the pictures on the basis of the children’s input, Environmental Specialist Pirjo Jantunen of Helsingin Energia explains.

We will also consider other forms of co-operation and various themes on how the energy solutions can be made part of the everyday life of the school in the form of teaching materials.