– We replaced almost all the windows, and Nekas installed heat pumps throughout the building. It works well, states technical manager Bjørnar Helle at Furukollen Psychiatric Center .
The treatment facility at Årnes began operations in 1956. Over the years, it has grown to over 7,000 m2 of heated space, and buildings of varying types and quality. What does an old industrial building have to do with an institution with just under 70 patients?
“We had a completely different patient group before, who were used to being in the workforce,” says Helle, who has worked in most of the departments at the center over the years.
– The entire building is a thermal bridge
The industrial building of approximately 1200 m2 was originally built for trailer production, and was inaugurated in 1976. It also had a welding workshop, a large loom and equipment for making wooden products – all as part of the work training for the patients. The construction is based on one of the great innovations of the time: Leca.
“We really should have insulated it, because the whole building is a thermal bridge,” Helle points out. It helps a lot that most of the windows have been replaced.
Outdoor units along the entire wall
The manufacturing operations have ended, but until recently the center still had package assignments for industry. It is now used for a variety of different activities: from floorball and a bouldering wall to music therapy and a café. Five large Toshiba air-to-air heat pumps cover most of the heating needs.
– We keep the temperature at around 20 degrees with the heat pumps. If the weather gets really cold, we have an extra fan heater, says Helle.
Cools in the summer
In the summer, the heat pumps are often used for cooling, but then Helle is careful to monitor consumption.
“We set the temperature and take away the remote control,” he says. It has happened that the heat pumps cool so effectively that patients open windows to let in heat.
Superb service
The heat pumps in the building are Toshiba Super Digital, installed by Nekas.
“We divided the building, and Nekas calculated the needs in each of the rooms,” says Helle. Furukollen had good experience with air-to-air heat pumps before; Nekas has also installed a total of 14 regular heat pumps in the residential units that do not have radiators or underfloor heating.
– There is no doubt that they know what they are doing, and the follow-up and service work superbly.
