Sponda Plc Press release 4 November 2010 at 12:50 pm Sponda utilizes district cooling in its properties Real estate investment company Sponda Plc is taking advantage of ecologically efficient district cooling in its office properties in the centre of Helsinki and in Ruoholahti. The framework agreement signed by Sponda and Helsingin Energia makes it easy to connect to the district cooling network for Sponda properties that are located in the area covered by the network. The agreement simplifies the process for individual properties to switch to district cooling at the more than 20 properties in the area covered by the district cooling network that still have their own cooling equipment. After the properties covered by the framework agreement have joined, the number of Sponda properties with district cooling will rise to almost 40. As the district cooling network expands, Sponda's properties located in the new area reached by the network will naturally be covered by the framework agreement. Helsingin Energia produces district cooling from cold seawater and from other energy sources that would otherwise not be utilized. Some 80 % of production is based on unharnessed energy. District cooling is an ecological and sustainable cooling solution that does not generate noise or use cooling agents that are harmful to the atmosphere. It reduces electricity consumption compared to conventional cooling methods. It also tidies the cityscape since it does away for the need for the air-conditioning fixtures on the roofs of buildings. Aiming for a smaller carbon footprint "District cooling is an excellent option for us even just because of its environmental aspects. Our goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of our properties, so heating and cooling systems play an important role", states Ossi Hynynen, Senior Vice President at Sponda's Investment Properties business unit. “Helsinki has one of the fastest growing cooling systems in Europe that is similar in size to the district heating system in a medium-sized Finnish town,” says Niko Wirgentius, who is responsible for district cooling operations at Helsingin Energia. He sums up the impact of district cooling in the following words: “After the Sponda properties listed in the agreement have joining the district cooling system, this will save the energy equivalent of about one million litres of oil a year when compared to cooling each property separately. This cuts the carbon dioxide emissions from the buildings by at least two million kilograms, or the same amount as the emissions from a car driven for more than 13,000,000 kilometres or 300 times round the world,” explains Mr Wirgentius. The cooling equipment is not being renewed at all of Sponda's properties at one time but will be replaced as the need arises or as existing cooling equipment approaches the end of its working life. After the agreement has been signed, district cooling will be introduced straightaway at three properties in the centre of Helsinki, at Unioninkatu 20-22, Unioninkatu 24 and Fabianinkatu 23. Sponda Plc Sponda Plc is a real estate company specializing in commercial properties in the largest cities in Finland and Russia. Sponda's business concept is to own, lease and develop office, retail and logistics properties into environments that promote the business success of its clients. Sponda's investment properties have a fair value of approximately EUR 2.8 billion euros and a leasable area of around 1.5 million square metres.