A larger heat pump reduces taxation

In Roihuvuor, the energy transition is tangible. At least six companies are currently in the process of switching from district heating to geothermal and four have already done so. Neighbours learn from each other’s experiences.

“Residents are already asking why we are not switching to geothermal heating. The decision was made unanimously at the Annual General Meeting in June 2022,” says Tapani Eisanen, Chairman of the Board of As Oy Hakanmetsän.

“We were the first large housing association in the area to carry out a plumbing renovation. Then others were learning from us, now we wanted to let the faster ones go first and lead the way. We have worked together to learn from each other’s lessons at regional level.”

The decision has been economically viable. As Oy Hakanmetsä is one of the first housing companies to benefit from a lower tax bracket for electricity used by large heat pumps of over 500 kW. The change in the tax bracket resulted in a significant reduction in the tax, from around 2.8 cents per kilowatt hour to just 0.08 cents.

In the energy renovation that is now starting, the company will switch from district heating to geothermal heating and exhaust air heat recovery, and will also build electric car charging points. As a separate project, the company will also purchase solar panels. In the energy renovation, which was jointly investigated and tendered by the building company and Pohdin Consulting, and designed and implemented by LeaseGreen, the heating energy required by the building company is replaced by heat from the ground and exhaust air. At the same time, the renovation will reduce the carbon footprint of heating by around 80%.

“In large housing companies, a lot of heat is consumed. Although the geothermal systems to be implemented are large, the unit costs of heat production in large housing companies are lower than usual. In this case, the savings potential is also big,” says Sami Läntinen from LeaseGreen, who specialises in energy renovations for XL-sized housing companies.

“The subsidies for energy renovation will clearly boost decision-making. Hakanmetsä has applied for ARA support for its renovation, which is already profitable at current district heating prices. The lower electricity tax bracket will bring additional benefits. They will allow a payback period of around 10-15 years.”

The first talk about geothermal heating and heat recovery from exhaust air was ten years ago, when As Oy Hakanmetsä started planning a pipe renovation.

“At the time, the general attitude was still somewhat dismissive, as Helen’s district heating was considered the right operating model, affordable and reliable,” says Tapani Eisanen from Hakanmetsa.

As Oy Hakanmetsä is a traditional housing company built in the 1950s in Roihuvuori, Helsinki. It has 284 apartments. Roihuvuori, one of the first suburbs in Helsinki, is a prestigious and popular district where residents have enjoyed their stay for generations.

The exceptionally close cooperation between the housing companies dates back to Roihuvuoren Lämpö, one of the oldest maintenance and management companies in Finland, jointly owned by the housing companies in the area. At one time, the houses in the area were heated by Roihuvuoren Lämmö’s district heating centre, but since then the area has switched to Helen’s district heating.

Further information

Tapani Eisanen

Chairman of the Board, As Oy Hakanmetsä

tapani.eisanen@ains.fi

+358 41 731 4829