Nova | Lund

The Nova Lund shopping centre is currently undergoing extensive renovation, with the aim of creating an improved shopping environment with a focus on sustainability and accessibility. The project includes carefully selected materials, smart waste management and energy-efficient solutions. The initiative includes 13 Envistar Flex units with the ThermoCooler HP integrated reversible heat pump replacing older, less energy-efficient air handling units. The upgrade is expected to provide annual energy savings of 1 million kWh for the property owner Skandia Fastigheter.

Nova Lund first opened its doors on 19 September 2002. For two consecutive years, 2010 and 2011, the centre was named Sweden’s most popular large shopping centre by Market magazine. In 2022, Nova Lund was acquired by Skandia Fastigheter, which also owns the Väla and Läreda retail areas in Skåne.

In January 2025, an extensive renovation was initiated to meet future demands and further improve the shopping experience. Sustainability is at the heart of the project, and replacing older air handling units will reduce both energy use and operating costs, while increasing the value of the property.

Sustainability in focus with the aim of improving the energy efficiency class

Linnea Andersson is a technical manager at Skandia Fastigheter and emphasises the importance of sustainability work.

“Sustainability is very important to us. We have a zero vision in the project, which means that the building should produce as much energy as it uses. We have replaced the electric boiler with district heating for domestic hot water, and the older air handling units, which were previously difficult to control, will now be replaced with new, more energy-efficient units. These will provide both heating and cooling for the shopping centre. In addition, we will also install solar cells to produce our own renewable energy. With all these measures, our hope is to improve the building’s energy efficiency class from the current D to A.

New air handling units expected to save 1 million kWh per year

For more than a decade, Skandia Fastigheter has been working with AirSon, a company that offers turnkey contracts and consulting services in energy and installation technology. An energy audit showed that the older air handling units, with low efficiency and limited heat recovery, were responsible for high energy use. The new units are expected to reduce energy use by around 1 million kWh per year, and the investment is expected to pay for itself within 6 years.

Integrated reversible heat pump – ThermoCooler HP

The new units are equipped with integrated reversible heat pumps, which, together with rotary heat exchangers, recover up to 90% of the heat in the premises. In summer, the same unit provides efficient cooling, which means a comfortable indoor climate all year round. The air handling units are controlled via ’main-parallel control’, where one main unit handles central control functions for the other units

Viktor Kauranen, Energy Advisor at AirSon who has been involved in the project since the start, emphasises the importance of a good indoor climate in the shopping centre.