Welcome to the website of this development project!

The BeyondEE development project (Integrated Digital Solutions for District Heating Optimisation & Empowering End-Users) focuses on integrated digital solutions for optimizing district heating.

The two-year development project started in May 2024 and will continue until April 2026.

The aim of the project is to optimize district heating consumption in residential and service buildings. The City of Lappeenranta is implementing the project together with Lappeenrannan Energia, which is part of the city group.

One of the key objectives is to improve occupant comfort by preventing unnecessary overheating of indoor spaces. In addition, the project enables monitoring of indoor thermal conditions and helps identify maintenance needs in heating systems.

The pilot is being carried out in nine properties owned by Lappeenrannan Asuntopalvelu Oy and three properties owned by the Student Housing Foundation for the Region of Lappeenranta (LOAS).

The project is part of the European Union’s NetZeroCities programme, which aims to pilot carbon-neutral solutions in European cities.

Aims of the project

The project aims to achieve direct emission reductions through smart heating control systems installed in buildings, as well as indirect emission reductions by providing flexibility capacity to the district heating network without compromising indoor comfort conditions.

The project also seeks to promote the wider adoption of demand response solutions in centralized heating systems. One of the key goals is to develop a fair operating model in which the benefits generated through savings are shared equitably between commercial system providers, property owners, and the energy company.

In addition, the project will produce operational guidelines for the commercialization and implementation of demand response services within district heating systems.

Implementation plan

In the first phase, during the 2024–2025 heating season, the solution will be piloted in residential properties owned by Lappeenrannan Asuntopalvelu Oy and the Student Housing Foundation for the Region of Lappeenranta (LOAS).

In the second phase, during the 2025–2026 heating season, the solution will be piloted in commercial and service buildings where ventilation heating accounts for the largest share of overall heating energy consumption.

Budget

The project has received €600,000 in funding from the European Union’s NetZeroCities programme.

Contacts

Petri Kero, +358 40 653 0508, petri.kero@lappeenranta.fi 

Rami Koivula, +358 40 158 1047, rami.koivula@lreoy.fi