Reduced consumption and fair billing

LKAB is building a large number of new properties as part of the transformation project where parts of Kiruna are being relocated 3 kilometres to the east and large parts of Malmberget are being moved to Gällivare.
 
Thousands of residents are forced to relocate due to land deformations occurring as a result of the underground mining in the area.

Several buildings will be relocated or torn down during the complex transformation, which is scheduled to be gradually completed over the next 20 years. 
 
LKAB has chosen to install individual heat and water meters in all new homes – a long-term investment in increased transparency in consumption, which will benefit the environment, customers and, ultimately, the company itself.

According to Project Manager, Tomas Lindgren, excessive energy and water will always be consumed, if consumption is not measured. A major concern for LKAB is the effect that this has on the environment.
 
“We have a responsibility to choose solutions that support sustainable development in Kiruna. We know that people use less water and energy when we measure consumption, so we see the introduction of individual metering as an important environmental choice.”, he explains.

“The greatest advantage is that people use less water and energy. We do not make more money – the introduction actually leads to extra expenses for us, but we see it as investing in a sustainable environment.”
 
Excessive use of water and energy is also a challenge. Especially in rented apartments where all tenants pay the same fixed monthly amount regardless of the large variations in their consumption.

Individual metering ensures correct billing. “Essentially, it is a matter of fairness. People should pay for what they consume – neither more nor less,” says Tomas Lindgren.
 
As an added bonus, the tenants get insight into their consumption with transparent billing: “As tenants become more aware of their consumption, they are given the opportunity to influence and reduce it.”

LKAB chose Kamstrup after being introduced to its wireless metering technology during another project: A pilot project in which two former military barracks were converted into 24 modern flats in 2013. Since then, a number of projects of varying size have been completed and many more will follow. 
 
LKAB installs a concentrator in all new projects and a meter ready system for collecting and handling meter data enables insight into how much water and energy is used in each individual flat or house. “What we liked about Kamstrup was that we gained a complete solution – ready and simple to use,” says Tomas Lindgren.

"Moreover, implementation of this project is going really well. We have now come so far that we only need to “copy paste” when we start a new project. It is not difficult, but it must be right.” 
 
Today, LKAB is satisfied with Kamstrup's solution and its performance – and as more concentrators and repeaters are installed in the new area this will only get better.
 
In the future, the company plans to upgrade to READy, Kamstrup's meter reading solution which is even faster and easier to work with.