Citycon’s Lippulaiva is a unique urban centre with state-of-the-art energy concept. With its easy-to-reach location, the centre offers sustainable transportation options for visitors both near and far. Lippulaiva offers dynamic and plentiful opportunities for charging both electric and hybrid cars. The centre has a goal of being carbon neutral from day 1, which is made possible with a new energy concept.
The urban centre Lippulaiva in Espoonlahti offers its customers various means for a more sustainable transportation in terms of both social and environmental impacts. The centre hosts 124 charging stations for electric and hybrid cars as well as ten rapid chargers for electric cars. More ecological transportation modes are promoted also with services aimed for bicyclers: the centre offers good bicycle connections, parking spaces for about 1,400 bikes, and a possibility for charging bikes inside the centre.
Lippulaiva is located at the heart of the local community on an urban cross point and with top-level accessibility: people can get to the centre by metro, bus, car, bike, or foot. The use of public transport is made extremely convenient with the Espoonlahti metro and bus terminal being integrated to Lippulaiva.
On account of its many sustainable energy solutions, Lippulaiva is participating in the SPARCS project, conducted by the European Union, which promotes energy efficiency and electric-powered modes of transport. SPARCS (Sustainable energy Positive & zero cARbon CommunitieS) is a significant part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme set to fund research and innovation. Lippulaiva will function in the project as a demo case, providing solutions and experiences that the five participant cities in the project can utilize.
Sustainability through geothermal energy and circular energy use
Citycon aims to be carbon neutral in its energy use by 2030. To achieve this goal, there is for example the vast facilitation for charging an electric car. The centre has a smart managing system, which allows for example the temporary reduction of power used in air conditioning and charging stations when energy consumption is at its peak. In addition, a backup generator and a large electric battery will balance the operation of the electricity network.
Lippulaiva will be using carbon-neutral geothermal energy for heating and cooling. The ground underneath the real estate will also function as an energy storage. The geothermal energy solution removes the need for any condensers on the roof of the property, leaving room instead for green roofs and solar panels. The energy derived from the solar panels will be used to cover for example the energy needs for lifts and escalators. The heat pump system of Lippulaiva is one of the largest systems used in a commercial premise in all of Europe.