Sustainable living at Kvarteret Tärnan in Varberg Sweden

Sustainability, quality of life, and innovation are at the core of Kvarteret Tärnan in Varberg, an impressive project with a structure built from cross-laminated timber. With its 80 condominiums, seven townhouses, co-working space, and delivery hub, the goal is to make sustainable living accessible. In collaboration with Regin, which supplies the building automation systems, SI Varberg is responsible for optimizing the building's energy usage and residential comfort.

Kvarteret Tärnan, constructed entirely from wood, has an estimated 60 percent lower climate footprint compared with a traditional concrete building. The project was completed in spring 2024, with the first residents moving into the housing units, followed shortly by the office tenants. In close partnership with Etikhus, which owns and manages the property, SI Varberg has developed a comprehensive building automation solution that manages and collects data on the building’s indoor climate.

The solution is based on Regin’s freely programmable controllers connected to the Arrigo Building Management System. The units communicate via the Modbus protocol to heating plants, ventilation units, and solar panels. In the office spaces, a variable air volume (VAV) system has been installed to adjust airflow dynamically based on demand.

“Consolidating all property data in Arrigo and being able to monitor the system remotely gives us a centralized overview of the building's performance. Regin’s solutions have also proven to be highly effective in building integrated systems with extensive communication capabilities”, says Niklas Wallenbeck, Project Manager at SI Varberg.

In the individual townhouses, a unique concept developed by SI and Etikhus integrates heating, ventilation, lighting, and other functions into a single platform, allowing residents to control their homes individually through an app. The concept illustrates a successful energy management model, ensuring energy is used where it’s needed.

Further system optimization and fine-tuning will continue going forward. At present, energy monitoring is active at the overall property level and for each apartment, providing a foundation for ongoing analysis and follow-up. With continuous refinement, Kvarteret Tärnan can further strengthen its position as a model for sustainable and energy-efficient living.

Short facts

Type of solution: Freely programmable controllers, Regin's building management system Arrigo, field devices.

About SI

SI is a system integration company that develops software, systems, and products for energy efficiency and building automation. The company has a wide range of energy and operational services where energy experts optimize solutions. SI also offers services for maintenance, property management, and service.

The company was founded over 25 years ago and has grown from four employees to over 300, operating in several locations in Sweden. Sustainable collaboration has been one of the company’s keywords from the start, and they work closely with customers, partners, and suppliers to achieve common goals.