SABO - The Swedish Association of Municipal Housing Companies affiliates approximately 300 companies and manages some 730 000 dwelling units housing one in four Swedish. By acting in competition with the private sector SABO’s members combine a business-like approach with active social responsibility practices. To support its members in their day-to-day activities, SABO provides expertise in different fields and promotes the exchange of experiences and good practices and cooperates with national authorities and other key organizations.

The SABO POWER HOUSE Platform is composed by all SABO’s members and focuses its activities on a common goal entitled the “SABO Energy Challenge”. The challenge began in February 2008 when directors of SABO members agreed to sign a declaration committing their organizations to reduce energy consumption by 20% between 2007 until 2016. So far, 101 companies have taken the challenge which obliges them to report their actual energy consumption to SABO once a year. These companies together own over 370, 000 apartments. SABO assists them in achieving the 20% energy reduction goal through Platform activities such as technical workshops and seminars, conferences, study visits and access to an information service to answer their technical questions. A publication identifying the “top 10 energy thieves” has been produced, giving technical advice to members on how to tackle the top 10 causes of energy waste in apartment buildings owned by SABO members, these include wasteful practices in the laundry rooms, excessive heat escaping through roofs and unnecessary heating of garages. SABO also hold an annual competition between their members and awards the person with high efficiency gains. After the first year of the work, figures reveal that the average energy use has dropped from 149 kWh/m2 in 2007 to 144 kWh/m2 in 2008, which amounts to an average saving of 2.3%.

“Approximately 380,000 housing units in SABO’s members ownership were built between 1960 and 1975 and many are in need of refurbishment. The POWER HOUSE survey showed that our members find that there is a lack of competent energy experts and in some cases a need for up-skilling and a clear demand for more information on pay-back on investments and maintenance costs. There is also a lack of financial resources within the companies. To help our members overcoming these obstacles, the SABO POWER HOUSE Platform is encouraging the exchange of best practices and knowledge between SABO members and the other POWER HOUSE Platforms.” - Ms Therese Rydstedt, SABO POWER HOUSE Platform coordinator.