Skedsmo Church

Historic and protected buildings are often an untapped, sustainable resource. These buildings also need upgrades while respecting their protected status.

Lillestrøm church council has worked with us at Kiona and BS Teknikk, one of our Certified Partners, to improve the operation and management of Skedsmo Church and chapel.

Sustainable upgrades for protected and historic buildings

Skedsmo Church is located in Lillestrøm municipality in Norway. It was built in the late 1100s, but only the walls of the nave have been fully preserved from the original structure. The church underwent major renovations between 1858 and 1864, keeping the oldest parts intact. It is classified as automatically protected due to its age (pre-1650).

In 2020, the process of upgrading the 1,340 m² church and chapel began. With 1.4-meter-thick walls and protected building elements, wireless sensors were the ideal solution. A wireless system avoids invasive cabling and construction work while also being quick to install.

Installation

Skedsmo Church has received a new heating system, Smart Functions for better indoor climate control, and the IWMAC system. This was achieved through new automation, field components, and a new SCADA system via BACnet IP.

An Outlook calendar integration has also been implemented, allowing settings for 10 different heating zones in the church. For events like baptisms, funerals, or weddings, the technical systems adjust based on the selected mode. The church automatically switches to 'booked' mode and regulates according to the set points.

Additionally, the IWMAC system is equipped with Smart Functions like Forecast-based control and Smart Guard. The Forecast Control uses a Yr.no integration to reach the desired temperature at the right time. Smart Guard manages energy consumption and reduces peak loads by analyzing a wide range of operational data. Using logic, it adjusts temperatures, starts and stops equipment, and gradually smooths out power curves.

Reducing energy consumption

The energy consumption has decreased by 58,350 kWh compared to pre-renovation levels. This means the church went from an average consumption of 210,000 kWh to 151,650 kWh – a 28% reduction.