Kesko commits itself to improving its energy efficiency in 2017-2025

KESKO PRESS RELEASE 14.10.2016 AT 10.00 1 (2)
  
Kesko participates in the 2017-2025 action plan of the commerce sector Energy Efficiency Agreement. In accordance with the agreement, Kesko commits itself to reducing its energy consumption by 7.5% through various saving measures. All K-Group store chains are included in the agreement.

The Energy Efficiency Agreement for Industries is an agreement between the state and industries on efficient energy use. Companies join the Energy Efficiency Agreement scheme by signing a separate Accession Document for their sector and committing themselves to enhancing their energy use in accordance with the actions and targets therein.

Kesko signed the Accession Document for the commerce sector action plan on 14 October 2016 and committed itself to reducing its energy consumption through various saving measures by 7.5%.

Kesko already joined the commerce sector Energy Efficiency Agreement signed in 2008, under which it committed itself to improving its energy efficiency by 65 GWh at the annual level by the end of 2016. By the end of 2015, Kesko had enhanced its electricity and heat consumption by 64 GWh and achieved 97% of the target.

Energy efficiency through remote monitoring and refrigeration equipment solutions

Kesko's long-term efforts to improve energy efficiency include, for example:

Lighting

LED lights have been introduced in the lighting solutions for the store site projects of grocery stores and building and home improvement stores. They help save up to 50% electricity compared to traditional lighting.

Lids and doors on refrigeration equipment

In K-food stores, lids on chest freezers help save 40% of energy compared to uncovered equipment. Doors on dairy and juice cabinets also help save energy.

Real Estate Managers

Kesko's 37 Real Estate Managers help K-stores find ways in which to make their energy consumption more efficient. Regular monitoring, remote supervision of technical building service processes and duplication of best energy efficiency practices of different properties are used to maintain an optimal level of energy consumption.

Remote monitoring of stores' refrigeration equipment

Remote monitoring enables refrigeration equipment to be adjusted for optimum temperatures and defrosting cycles. In addition, possible deviations can be responded to immediately. The remote monitoring of refrigeration equipment helped save approximately 5.5 GWh of energy in 2015.

Condensation heat recovery

Condensation heat from refrigeration equipment is recovered at nearly all K-food stores, which means that additional heat energy is needed only during very low sub-zero temperatures. Increasingly many K-food stores also use carbon dioxide recovered from industrial processes as an environmentally friendly alternative as the refrigerant in their refrigeration equipment.

Solar utilities

Kesko promotes the production of renewable energy and contributes to the mitigation of climate change by investing in solar power.

Solar utilities producing electricity for stores' own consumption are gradually becoming more widely used at the K-Group's store sites. In summer 2016,a property-specific solar utility was built on the roof of K-citymarket Tammisto in Vantaa, and the solar utility on the roof of K-citymarket Lielahti in Tampere has been operating since 1997. By the end of this year, Kesko will install solar utility panels on the roofs of six K-supermarkets in different parts of Finland.

Further information:
Matti Kalervo, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Kesko Corporation, tel. +358 50 306 4081, matti.kalervo@kesko.fi
Jari Suuronen, Technical Building Services Manager, Kesko's grocery trade, tel. +358 50 409 6513, jari.suuronen@kesko.fi

The about 45,000 exceptionally nice people of the K-Group work daily to make shopping fun for customers in our stores in the Nordic countries, the Baltic countries, Poland and Russia. We help our more than 1,500 stores serve their customers in the grocery trade, the building and technical trade, and the car trade. We do our work with a big heart while paying attention to society and the environment. We are already the most responsible food retailer in the world and always eager to try out something new. We are doing this to offer good choices both on the shelves of the local stores and online. www.kesko.fi