Case study: Acembee’s EST City Solution drives major energy savings at Solbakken construction site
Client overview: Solbakken construction site
Solbakken is an MT Højgaard renovation site in Køge, focused on the construction of residential buildings. The site uses multiple staff and office-units, all requiring significant energy for heating and lighting, especially during the colder months.
The challenge:
- Energy Waste: With cold temperatures during winter, staff and office units on construction sites often required constant heating. Traditional systems didn’t allow for efficient energy management, resulting in high monthly energy consumption.
- Operational Costs: Rising energy prices and inefficient heating and lighting systems caused construction companies to incur growing operational costs, which ate into project budgets.
- Regulatory Pressure: Construction companies are expected to meet stringent carbon reduction regulations (such as LCA A4+A5) starting in 2025, but many struggle to implement cost-effective solutions.
Acembee’s solution: The EST City System
Acembee’s EST City solution was implemented at Solbakken, offering a plug-and-play IoT energy regulation system that optimizes heating and lighting across multiple units.
- Technology: The EST City system regulates energy consumption at the breaker level and adjusts indoor temperatures based on usage patterns. During work hours, the temperature is set to 22°C, while it drops to 15°C outside work hours. The system only controls heating, and doesn't turn off the fridges.
- Cost-effective: The system requires no extra infrastructure or significant investment, and it delivers energy savings without disrupting ongoing operations.
Data analysis: understanding energy savings at Solbakken
To evaluate the effectiveness of Acembee’s EST City solution, we conducted a detailed analysis of energy consumption patterns at the Solbakken construction site. The data for this case study were collected from multiple containers, including 5 staff units and 1 office unit, over a period of 47 days, from November 1, 2024, to December 17, 2024.
The goal of the analysis was to determine how much energy could be saved by regulating heating and lighting using the EST City solution, which controls energy consumption at the breaker level based on indoor temperature measurements. By comparing energy usage with and without regulation, we were able to identify significant savings and validate the potential of the system for large-scale implementation.
Key data points:
- Energy consumption patterns: Data were gathered from power groups associated with heating, capturing energy usage on both regulated and non-regulated days.
- Regulation impact: The system’s impact on energy consumption was measured by comparing the daily energy usage of each unit during periods when the EST City system was deactivated versus when it was active.
The analysis shows that by implementing Acembee’s EST City system, significant reductions in energy consumption were achieved, particularly during off-hours when units were not in active use. The graph on the left shows energy consumption without Acembee. The graph on the right illustrates the significant reduction in energy use achieved with Acembee’s energy-saving solution.
Below is the table of average monthly energy usage per containers at Solbakken, comparing regulated and non-regulated energy consumption.
Average monthly energy usage per unit (with and without regulation)
After 47 days of operation, Acembee’s EST City solution provided impressive results for Solbakken, leading to substantial energy and cost savings.
Energy savings:
- 76% total energy savings across all units, compared to non-regulated periods.
- 89% reduction in weekend energy consumption (when units are not in use).
Financial impact:
- Reduction in heating costs: By optimizing the use of energy during colder days, Acembee’s system drastically reduced heating costs for staff and office units.
Operational efficiency:
- The ease of implementation and low maintenance of the EST City system meant minimal disruption to construction schedules, providing cost-effective savings without the need for additional staff or complex interventions.
Acembee’s EST City solution outperforms traditional systems, offering up to 76% energy savings without the need for manual intervention, helping you cut costs while ensuring compliance.
👉 Client testimonials: real results from Solbakken
The difference in power consumption was clear after we installed the full Acembee system. Just last month, we saved 7,000 DKK on energy use in our containers. The Acembee team is always ready to help and has been great at finding the right solutions for our needs.
— Louisa Tover,
Project manager at MT Højgaard
The future of construction sites: powered by Acembee
As the construction industry moves toward increased energy efficiency and sustainability, Acembee’s EST City solution offers a simple, scalable, and cost-effective way to meet these challenges.