In northern Sweden, just below the Arctic Circle, a new cultural centre shows that buildings can be constructed in a much more sustainable way. Skellefteå Kraft, one of the country's largest energy producers, is creating an environmentally friendly, sustainable, and energy-efficient building that is supplied with 100 per cent renewable energy.
With its 20 floors, 205 hotel rooms and several auditoriums, the Sara Cultural Centre will be one of the world’s tallest wooden buildings, providing a dynamic meeting point for culture, entertainment and conferences.
Thanks to energy-efficient and sustainable solutions from ABB, it will also be a showcase project for state-of-the-art energy technology. For example, digital ABB Ability™-based systems will show exactly where the energy comes from and what it’s used for, optimising its usage inside the building. The concept also includes battery storage and solar energy systems that work with real-time optimisation based on data and advanced forecasts.
The systems also enable the building to become an asset to the city’s energy supply by adapting its power usage to the energy demands of the wider community.
The sustainability concept of the Sara Cultural Centre with ABB’s digital solutions is an example of the positive effects for creating a better world that can come when partnering with sustainability-focused contributors like Skellefteå Kraft. The project has also encouraged more innovations to be shared from companies in Sweden’s strong start-up community, which are integrated into the project.
When completed, the new centre will be a strong model, showing how to make smart building standards in Sweden and elsewhere in the world.
