This week we want to present you another of the SMARCTIC project partners: The Regional Council of Västernorrland (RCV) in Sweden. RCV contributes to the creation of a flourishing county through its efforts to promote growth and in the areas of education, culture and research.
Our project partner RCV works systematically to improve the environment at all places of work. The personnel have been given environmental training, and there is an environmental representative at every workplace, who is the driving force in the environmental work. In addition to the internal environmental work, RCV endeavours to actively participate in moving forward the status of sustainable development in the areas of environment and energy, in partnership with other stakeholders in society. RCV collaborates on a regional level with the other county councils in northern Sweden, and on an international level in an EU network.
Furthermore, the Regional Energy Agency is part of RCV and is one of the 15 energy agencies in Sweden. Its main objectives are to increase the use of renewable energy and to promote an efficient use of it. In that way, they will be directly involved in SMARCTIC.
On the one hand, regarding their contribution to the project, RCV is working with the regional strategy for ICT and regional growth. The Regional Council is participating in a number of regional and national projects to increase energy efficiency and to switch households to more environmentally friendly behaviour. "The Regional Energy Agency at RCV brings long expertise in developing ICT -based platforms integrating multiple public services", explains Ingela Lingensjö, Project Manager in RCV. In that way, the Regional Council will be an active partner working closely with the associated partner KRAMBO, engaging with the local community and other key stakeholders, sharing experiences and piloting the solutions developed.
On the other hand, RCV will benefit from the SMARCTIC project, by exchanging knowledge and experience with project partners, by taking part in the development of the smart energy management model and so forth. "The SMARCTIC project is very attractive to RCV and we are happy to join as a partner. In three-years’ time, we hope to have reached our goal for the project, to reduce energy consumption in the Ådalsskolan building by using smart energy solutions, increase knowledge about energy-efficient behavior and provide recommendations on how to improve energy efficiency in public buildings", adds Ingela Lingensjö.
SMARCTIC pilot in the school building Ådalsskolan
Swedish partners aim to implement a pilot in Ådalsskolan in Kramfors. The idea is to test smart solutions in energy management based on energy-use data, as well as to influence behavioral changes based on energy-visualization tools. The car mechanics workshop was chosen as a test location as it is a big area with a lot of machines and other energy-consuming equipment. By measuring how much electricity is consumed by heating, ventilation, lighting and all the machines, it will be possible to identify and test smart solutions, e.g. adjust room temperature to the outside temperature by automatically opening the garage doors. Students will have an opportunity to learn how much energy they use, which would help them to develop energy-conscious behaviors also in their future work.
About the Associated Partner KRAMBO
KRAMBO is a municipal housing company / real estate owner for public purposes. They will be an associated partner attached to RCV and they will serve as a test bed and demonstrator for the smart energy management services that RCV intends to pilot in the school building Ådalsskolan.