Bathing in light
The Finnish city of Pori is building a solar heated swimming pool complex.
The swimming pool complex in Pori, equipped with Luvata's Nordic Solar System. Solar collectors are hidden under green copper panels (Photo: Luvata)
This solar solution will be the Finland's first solar energy investment in a swimming pool complex. During the summertime, when the indoor swimming pool is normally closed, the basic functions of the complex will be maintained by solar power. When the swimming pool complex is open, solar energy will be used as a complementary energy system for heating the pool water and electricity consumption.
Custom made
The swimming complex demonstrates Finnish metal supplier Luvata’s so called Nordic Solar System. The Nordic Solar System integrates the attractiveness of patinated copper on the outside with a hidden solar thermal energy system on the underside. The heat transfer mechanism is behind the buildings’ copper envelope and as the sun warms the façade or the roof, the heat is collected. The system is tailor-made to meet the architect’s exact specifications of a building, offering a high degree of prefabrication for quick and easy installation. This unique solution combines the best copper has to offer – beauty, flexibility, durability and thermal conductivity – all in one.
Energy stingy
Solar heat collectors will generate 120 000 kWh of energy for the complex, corresponding to the annual heating costs of six average detached houses and covering 5 % of the annual heat requirements of the swimming pool complex. The solar panels will produce approximately 45 000 kWh or 3 % of the electricity consumed by the building. In any case, the swimming pool complex is designed to be "energy-stingy" and includes heat recovery from exhaust air and shower water, and other energy-saving solutions. The swimming pool complex will have a total of 560 m2 of solar panels and collectors on its roof hidden from view. Additionally, an area of 80 m2 of solar energy collectors will be integrated in the cladding copper material on the south-facing façade. This is the first pilot site in the world that incorporates the fully-integrated solar energy system by Luvata.
Solar power Research
The Satakunta University of Applied Sciences SAMK and local business partners have a key role to play as far as the implementation of the solar energy region is concerned. The City of Pori has made an important start in this by selecting solar power as one of the sources of energy for the swimming pool complex.
Further reading
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