In most Finnish housing companies, heating is based on district heating. In hybrid heating, a second heat source is added alongside district heating, so the system can use different forms of energy depending on the situation.

The goal is to always produce heat as cost-effectively as possible.
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What does hybrid heating mean in a housing company?

In a hybrid heating system, a second heat source is added to the property's heating system alongside the existing one.

Typical hybrid systems include:

  • district heating + heat pump
  • district heating + ground source heat
  • district heating + electric boiler

The system is usually run by automation that continuously monitors, for example:

  • the price of energy
  • the building's heating demand
  • outdoor temperature
  • how the system is operating

Based on this data, the system chooses which energy source should produce the heat.
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Hybrid heating and district heating

Hybrid heating does not mean giving up district heating. District heating remains the building's primary heat source.

The hybrid system complements district heating with a second energy source and can optimise how the two are used.

Traditionally, hybrid heating has combined district heating with a heat pump, for example. In newer solutions, such as Voltria's hybrid heating service, electrically produced heat can also be combined with district heating using intelligent control.

The system can then, for example:

  • use electricity when the market price of electricity is low
  • use district heating when it is the cheaper option
  • even out the load on the heating system
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Why are housing companies interested in hybrid heating?

Heating is the largest single operating cost in many housing companies. Its share of the property's energy costs is often as high as 50-70 %.

Hybrid heating interests housing companies above all because it makes it possible to optimise energy use.

Lower heating costs

A hybrid system can reduce total heating costs by using whichever energy source is cheapest at the time.

Optimising the price of energy

Energy use can be steered automatically according to the energy markets.

A more flexible energy system

When the building is not entirely dependent on one energy source, the heating system becomes more flexible and better able to adapt to a changing energy market.
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How much can hybrid heating save?

The savings from hybrid heating depend on many factors, such as:

  • the size of the building
  • energy consumption
  • local energy prices
  • the structure of the heating system

In many cases, Voltria's hybrid heating can reduce a housing company's heating costs by around 8-25 %.

The savings come above all from producing heat with whichever energy source is cheapest at the time.

You can read more about district heating savings in the article How to save on district heating in a housing company.
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Which housing companies is hybrid heating suited to?

Hybrid heating is particularly suited to housing companies where:

  • district heating is in use
  • energy consumption is relatively high
  • heating costs make up a significant share of maintenance charges

The solution usually works best in apartment blocks and larger properties where the heating system is in continuous use.
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The future of hybrid heating in housing companies

The energy sector is changing fast, and building energy systems are developing towards smarter and more flexible use.

In the future, hybrid systems can, for example:

  • optimise heating according to the energy markets
  • make more precise use of energy data
  • take part in grid flexibility and reserve markets
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Find out whether hybrid heating suits your housing company

Every building is different, so the viability of hybrid heating depends on the property's characteristics and energy consumption.

Book a free 30-minute introduction, where we go through your property's heating system and estimate the potential savings.

You can also try the savings calculator for an estimate of your property's savings potential.