Completion: August 2013

Objective: To provide energy-efficient HVAC solutions that reduce the client’s energy costs while providing flexible cooling/heating options to a multi-tenant/multiuse facility.

Work Completed: Danfoss collaborated closely with SINTEF Energy Research, the Norwegian government, and REMA 1000 to find an energy-efficient solution for the Norwegian supermarket chain. The supermarket makes considerable use of floor HVAC, snow melting, and storage of thermal energy, and the solution combines refrigeration and heat pump functions as well as the control of the air-handling unit and the various heat storage devices. Energy wells of 170 meters (~560 feet) in depth have been used to obtain free cooling during the summer and as a heat source for the heat pump in the winter. The building solution features a new light function with special panels mounted on the outside of the building, instead of windows, to obtain efficient use of natural light within the building. The AK-SM 850, the new smart front-end controller by Danfoss, secures full energy control of the total building. SINTEF Energy Research and Danfoss will monitor the energy efficiency of the system and expect REMA 1000 in Trondheim to be the future concept store for at least 150 Norwegian grocery stores to be built during the next few years.

Quote: “The basic idea behind the new solution is that the refrigeration system also serves as a heat pump in winter and provides cooling for the air handling unit in the summer. The surplus heat from the refrigeration system is applied for floor heating, heating up the supply air of the ventilation unit, and keeping the pavement snow- and ice-free during the cold Norwegian winters." — Dr. Armin Hafner, senior research scientist, SINTEF Energy Research

Publication date: 5/19/2014

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