Entrepreneur Chose District Heating for New Hall
Heating an industrial hall with pellets requires quite a bit of manual work. Andreas Rönnqvist, CEO of the advertising agency Snow Factory in Jakobstad, knows this well. When he was building a new hall next to the old one, he chose district heating. The process was so smooth that he decided to switch the old hall to district heating as well, and nearly halved the heating costs.
Four tenants have already moved into the new industrial hall in Jakobstad. Several of them work in the transportation sector and appreciate the solid floor with double-reinforced concrete and the ample ceiling height that allows truck access. The hall is divided into six units with waterborne underfloor heating, each 112 square meters in size.
“We also have an electrical company here that wants it a bit warmer in the office space, and that’s no problem since every tenant has their own meter and thermostat. The tenants appreciate that district heating is affordable, and for the landlord, it’s also important that district heating is reliable and maintenance-free,” says Andreas Rönnqvist.
District heating proved to be the cheapest
Andreas Rönnqvist’s entrepreneurial journey began with Snow Factory, an advertising agency specializing in all visual communication including signage, vehicle wraps and decals. In 2007, a hall was built for the business on Rulltobaksgatan in Jakobstad, which was later expanded to a total of 670 square meters. The company now employs six people, and its clients are mainly located in Swedish-speaking Ostrobothnia, from Närpes to Kokkola.
Next to Snow Factory stands a smaller hall belonging to Rentacon, a family business where Andreas is a part-owner. Rentacon rents out boat trailers, utility trailers and other vehicles. On the other side of Snow Factory stands the grey hall where Rönnqvist Invest Ab acts as landlord. The hall was built in 2021–2022 and is owned by Fastighets Ab Pedersbacken 1. It was during this new construction that Andreas realized he wanted to invest in district heating.
“Heating with pellets felt expensive and complicated. We also considered ground source heating, but since district heating was already nearby, it turned out to be a much more affordable solution.”
As close to maintenance-free as you can get
Andreas received a good quote from Herrfors and ordered the connection to the district heating network. The only thing he needed to do was submit blueprints along with an energy calculation showing the hall’s expected annual energy demand.
“The connection process went very smoothly, and after that, I haven’t needed to do anything except set the water temperature and pay the invoices. District heating is probably as close to maintenance-free as it gets, and that’s great for entrepreneurs who have better things to do than transport pellets, refill the tank and clean the boiler,” Andreas explains.
Andreas was so satisfied with district heating as a heating method that he decided to stop using pellets and switch to district heating in the Snow Factory premises as well. It turned out to be a smart move, as he was essentially able to halve the heating costs in the hall. Within a few years, Andreas may build another hall on the property, and he plans to connect that one to the district heating network in Jakobstad too.
“For me as an entrepreneur, the simplicity of district heating is crucial. If you’re renting out space, you don’t want any hassle with heating. And if there’s ever a problem, Herrfors is close by—that’s a big advantage.”
Connect your new building to the district heating network
If your property is located less than 50 meters from the district heating network, it’s easy to connect to Herrfors district heating in Jakobstad or Ylivieska. A district heating connection for a detached house (single-family or semi-detached) with equipment and installation costs approximately 8000–10000 euros with Herrfors. The connection fee alone is 4300 euros.
If you choose a turnkey delivery from Herrfors, the district heating connection and related equipment come fully installed. Excavation work usually takes one week, while indoor work can be completed in 1–2 days. The best time to do this is before or after the winter season.
