Garam Masala Hall is heated with carbon-neutral district heating
Garam Masala Hall is a full-scale air dome owned by Oulun Jalkapallohalli Oy, located in Heinäpää Sports Center. The hall was completed in late 2020 and will significantly improve the conditions for winter football training in Oulu. The objective for the construction and maintenance of the hall has been to do it as responsibly as possible. This is also reflected in the energy choices made—the hall is heated with Oulun Energia's Onni - carbon-neutral district heating.
Oulun Jalkapallohalli Oy is owned by the local sports clubs Oulun Luistinseura (Oulu Skating Club) and AC Oulu. The construction of the hall was made possible by several companies and individuals.
"After a long struggle, we have finally been able to improve the conditions of winter football training in Oulu. The first practices were held here in December 2020," states Juho Meriläinen, managing director of Oulun Jalkapallohalli Oy and AC Oulu.
The air dome has significantly improved the conditions for winter training in Oulu. Image: Antero Lehtonen, AC Oulu.
Carbon-neutral heating without major additional costs
The hall is heated with district heating. After the first winter, there was a desire to replace regular district heating with Oulun Energia's carbon-neutral district heating.
"When thinking about operating expenses, heating expenses are of course the biggest running expense after the initial investments. We have not, however, noticed any significant increase in heating expenses after changing district heating services," Meriläinen states.
Garam Masala Hall is heated with Oulun Energia's carbon-neutral district heating.
Oulun Energia's carbon-neutral district heating is produced entirely from renewable or similar energy sources and waste heat. An external party annually checks and certifies the district heating produced to ensure that it is carbon neutral.
"Of course, carbon-neutral district heating means a lot to us from the point of view of responsibility. We want to do our part and also to encourage others to think about their own solutions," Meriläinen emphasizes.
Close cooperation at different stages of the project
Throughout and even after the construction project, Oulun Jalkapallohalli Oy has worked closely with Oulun Energia's experts.
"We have listened to them and their instructions on what kinds of solutions we should seek about many different things," Meriläinen says.
"We have been very satisfied. Of course, carbon-neutral district heating can be recommended to anyone the product is available to. When each of us makes small actions, whether it be a company or an individual, it forms a larger whole," Meriläinen concludes.
What is carbon-neutral district heating?
Onni - carbon-neutral district heating is district heating that is produced entirely from renewable or similar energy sources. These include wood-based fuels and recovered waste heat.
How can we ensure that district heating Onni is carbon neutral?
A party that is external and independent to Oulun Energia annually inspects the total sales of the carbon-neutral district heating additional service sold by Oulun Energia to its customers and the amount of district heating from renewable or similar energy sources generated by Oulun Energia.
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