Demand Control Kitchen Ventilation (DCKV) Case Study:
Turun Teknologiakiinteistöt

When timer-based restaurant kitchen ventilation control at Kupittaan Paviljonki was upgraded to FlowHero demand control, property owner Turun Teknologiakiinteistöt saw the impact immediately in its own energy monitoring. Energy consumption in the first months was clearly lower than in the same period the previous year.

The full-year savings estimate made before the ventilation upgrade is also being clearly exceeded when looking at the realised reduction in airflow compared with the time schedule. In addition, the restaurant staff have been satisfied with the ventilation after fine-tuning during commissioning, so the FlowHero project met expectations: energy is saved without changing the conditions of the spaces.

“The results have been good, and it is especially important to us that the savings also show up in our own energy monitoring. In addition, kitchen conditions have stayed at a good level and the restaurant staff have been satisfied.”

Kupittaan Paviljonki savings per year

• 49 % lower exhaust airflow
• 69.5 MWh less energy consumption
• €5,539 lower energy costs
• 10 tCO₂ smaller carbon footprint
• 1.6 years payback period

The annual estimates are based on the airflow achieved under FlowHero control.

Compared with the previous year, energy consumption dropped clearly

Turun Teknologiakiinteistöt compared energy consumption at Kupittaan Paviljonki after FlowHero was commissioned with the same period the previous year. The change was visible immediately: energy consumption during the first months of use was clearly lower than in the comparison year.

At Kupittaan Paviljonki the impact was easier to see than usual because the entire building is used as a restaurant. In larger mixed-use properties, the restaurant’s share of energy consumption usually cannot be measured separately, so the effect of a single energy-saving measure is often harder to demonstrate.

A few hours of installation and a light project for the property owner

Restaurant kitchen ventilation at Kupittaan Paviljonki was previously controlled with a time schedule. Turun Teknologiakiinteistöt wanted to find out how much energy could be saved by making ventilation adjust to the kitchen’s actual use.

Kitchen ventilation was changed from timer control to Safera FlowHero demand control. In the system, sensors monitor kitchen use and conditions and pass the ventilation demand information to the building automation. Ventilation capacity then adapts to kitchen use instead of running all day at the same predefined level.

FlowHero was installed in the restaurant kitchen in December 2025, and the actual installation took a few hours.

Safera coordinated the project and the contractors. Turun Teknologiakiinteistöt’s role was to appoint a contact person for the project, arrange access to the required spaces and building automation, and provide available drawings and baseline data. Because the work is essentially connecting sensors and a 0–10 V ventilation control signal to the automation, the project was quite light for the property owner to carry out.

The pre-project estimate showed savings potential that was exceeded

According to Safera’s calculation before the project, energy savings were estimated at about 50 MWh, which would reduce the property’s operating costs by about €4,000 per year. With a total investment of about €8,745, the project payback period was estimated at 2.2 years.

After commissioning, the annual estimate based on realised ventilation control showed savings about 40 percent higher than the original estimate. The investment payback period shortened to 1.6 years.

The same good conditions with less energy

For Turun Teknologiakiinteistöt it was important that energy savings would not come at the expense of working conditions in the restaurant.

At the start of commissioning at Kupittaan Paviljonki, system settings were refined based on feedback from kitchen staff. After fine-tuning, the staff have been satisfied with working conditions and indoor air quality.

From the customer’s perspective the project therefore achieved both goals: energy consumption decreased and kitchen staff remained satisfied.

Demand control results were repeated at TriviumCity

The estimates indicated that Turun Teknologiakiinteistöt could achieve similar savings at another property, TriviumCity.

At TriviumCity, ventilation was previously also controlled with a timer. In addition, restaurant staff tended to switch ventilation to full power in the mornings as soon as work started. After FlowHero demand control was commissioned, ventilation adjusts automatically to the kitchen’s actual use, and staff no longer need a separate boost switch.

The original annual energy savings estimate was 35 MWh and the cost savings estimate €2,735. The annual estimate based on realised control rose to 68.5 MWh and €5,391 — almost double the original estimate. The payback period is about 1.4 years.

Combined savings in two properties: €11,000 per year

The annual estimates based on realised ventilation control at Kupittaan Paviljonki and TriviumCity total:

• 138 MWh less energy consumption
• €10,930 lower energy costs
• €16,027 total investment
• 20 tCO₂ smaller carbon footprint
• 1.5 years combined payback period

Successful projects encourage expansion to the next sites

Turun Teknologiakiinteistöt considered the project results good. At Kupittaan Paviljonki the savings also showed up in the customer’s own energy monitoring, and at both sites the same good conditions have been achieved with lower energy consumption.

Based on the experience, Turun Teknologiakiinteistöt is mapping FlowHero demand control for its other restaurant kitchens as well.