Integrated daycare Rosa
Over the last two years, the Copenhagen childcare centre FS Rosa on Amager has reduced its water consumption by as much as 27%, a saving of approximately Euro 4.000 per year, thanks to new electronic energy-saving taps. In total, the municipality expects to save Euro 320.000 a year on water consumption for the first 200 institutions alone.
Two hundred institutions
in Copenhagen have new mixers
installed and save millions
Copenhagen Municipality has seen the light when it comes to water. A large-scale water-saving initiative has already reduced water consumption at the city’s schools, and now all institutions have to get on board. It was the municipality’s Energy Team that identified the huge potential. Copenhagen Municipality has a total of 740 childcare centres and 74 schools, so there are many buildings to monitor – and a huge potential. On schools and institutions alone, the municipality spends Euro 3 million per year on water, despite Copenhagen having one of Denmark’s lowest prices per m3. In fact, the municipality only pays Euro 4/m3, whereas the average price for the entire country is Euro 9/m3
(cf. Danva 2017).
Just over a year ago, the Energy Team therefore launched a pilot project at the daycare centre FS Rosa at Øresundsvej on Amager. They chose the intelligent sensor taps from FM Mattsson, which automatically open and close when children wash their hands. “Both children and adults at the institution soon became enthusiastic about the new taps. They could immediately see that they no longer wasted as much water as before,” says Stephan Ogueri, Energy Technician in the Energy Team and explains why: “In 2017 the Energy Team carried out a wide-ranging water savings project at around half the municipality’s primary and lower secondary schools. At the schools, the municipality saved an average of 20-30% on water consumption, which corresponds to Euro 240.000 a year. It is the same potential we have now been given the green light to try to achieve at the childcare centres”.
Pilot project paves the way
The integrated institution FS Rosa was built in 2006, but there is nevertheless a potential for savings. The building has a total of 30 taps and now uses 866 m3 water/year. The year before the water consumption was 1012 m3, so a focus on the issue can make a real difference.
Technical aspects
The integrated institution FS Rosa was built in 2006, but there is nevertheless a potential for savings. The building has a total of 30 taps and now uses 866 m3 water/year. The year before the water consumption was 1012 m3, so a focus on the issue can make a real difference.
“Copenhagen Municipality has chosen to measure water consumption by installing a meter on each individual building. The figures from the supply company documenting the savings are therefore very accurate. The figures even include all the other forms of use. Water used to flush toilets and water the garden is therefore still included in the water consumption. The actual savings on the taps are therefore much higher than the 15% FS Rosa has saved in the last year, and the 27% saved since 2016,” says Claus Dennis, Energy Adviser at FM Mattsson Mora Group Denmark, which produces the intelligent taps.
"Both children and adults at the institution soon became enthusiastic about the new taps. They could immediately see that they no longer wasted as much water as before”
Stephan Ogueri, Energy Technician in the Energy Team, Copenhagen Municipality
The goal is 40% – throughout the municipality
Water is one of our most important raw materials, but we waste a lot of it. Copenhagen is Denmark’s largest municipality, and it has ambitious climate goals designed to ensure a sustainable environmental
development. In terms of water, the goal is to reduce consumption by 40% before 2020. The Energy Team has made good progress with its focus on water in recent years, and this experience is now set to benefit other parts of the administration. “The Energy Team started by creating a business case to document the potential from changing taps. Thanks to the practical experience and the very short return of investment which we were able to document, it did not take long before the project had been approved and money allocated to replacing taps at the first 200 institutions,” says Stephan Ogueri. Together with his colleagues in the Energy Team, he is looking forward to demonstrating the results to Copenhagen Building Dept. and other administrative authorities and hopes to launch even more water-saving initiatives in Copenhagen Municipality.
