K-market Jounin Kauppa has been granted the 2011 Renewable Energy Action of the Year award. The largest village store in Lapland has invested in, for example, advanced heating and cooling solutions.
K-market Jounin Kauppa won the 2011 Renewable Energy Action of the Year award.
The K-market retailer is Sampo Kaulanen.
This was the second year for granting the Renewable Energy Action of the Year awards. K-market Jounin Kauppa of Äkäslompolo was awarded in the renewable energy users category. In the same category, the block of eco houses in Kempele received an honorary mention. Savosolar of Mikkeli was awarded in the renewable energy business and promotion category. The prizes were presented by Esa Härmälä, Director-General of the Energy Department at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy at Motiva's Renewable Energy Seminar on 10 November.
The jury consisted of representatives of Motiva, Sitra the Finnish Innovation Fund, the Confederation of Finnish Industries EK, Finpro and the Teknikka&Talous magazine.
K-market Jounin Kauppa made investments and cut energy costs
Jounin Kauppa, located in Äkäslompolo, is the largest village store in Lapland. Its nearly 6,000 sqm of business premises, completed in 2008, include one of Finland's most advanced heating and cooling solutions making use of renewable energy sources and condensation heat from refrigeration equipment. The store has also an energy efficient refrigeration system which uses carbon dioxide as coolant.
The design wanted to reduce emissions accelerating climate change and save increasingly high energy costs. Heating and cooling energy is drawn from soil and air and from the condensation heat of the store's refrigeration equipment. The jury praised the solutions for their duplicability and efficiency. As the concept is more widely adopted, energy consumption and greenhouse emissions can be significantly reduced.
The energy saving solutions implemented in K-market Jounin Kauppa are also innovative. The system is a sound combination of energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy. Moreover, the significant investment reflects the company's strong commitment. Proof of which is K-retailer Sampo Kaulanen's enthusiasm.
- The investment is based on my personal interest in the use of renewable energy. If only we could encourage more companies to join the effort, it would benefit all. New jobs could be offered, energy price would decrease, and most importantly, the environment could be preserved, says Kaulanen.
The energy system designer Väinö Jaako is pleased with the result. The investment repays itself sooner than calculated, which will certainly encourage others.
The award adds weight to renewable energy
The jury members are Karoliina Auvinen, Senior Lead, Ecoefficiency of Sitra, Specialist Jari Huovinen of EK, Santtu Hulkkonen, Director, Environment of Finpro and Managing Editor Kimmo Lundén of the Tekniikka & Talous magazine. Motiva's representatives in the jury are Consultant Olli Laitinen and Communications Manager Iiris Lappalainen.
- By rewarding pioneers in the use of renewable energy we want to increase companies' and citizens' interest in available solutions and good practices, says Olli Laitinen.
- The main emphasis in the evaluation was placed on the efficiency of renewable energy use, commitment to the effort and innovativeness.