SBS collects energy data to report and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions

"We wanted a standardized way of collecting data to be able to measure and report carbon dioxide reductions as a result of various energy projects that we do"

We are happy to present SBS Studentbostäder i Norden (Student Housing in the Nordic region) as new customers of Metry! SBS works actively with energy monitoring to be able to review energy consumption in its properties, as well as working with proactive improvement measures.

Although SBS is a relatively new customer to Metry, their Sustainability and Innovation Manager, Magnus Jägre, is a regular user from his previous assignments with other property owners:

I appreciate the flexibility of the platform, and that the collected data can be used in different energy monitoring systems. The access to weather normalized energy data helps make the company’s environmental efforts much more accurate. Access to good support is another important factor in choosing Metry.

Sustainability and ESG reporting in focus

Since the spring of 2021, SBS has been working with a sustainability framework that, among other things, supports the global goals ‘Sustainable energy for all’ and ‘Combating climate change’, and one of the purposes of data collection is to simplify the sustainability work in the company.

SBS wanted a standardized way of collecting data for electricity, district heating and water, mainly to be able to measure and report carbon dioxide reductions as a result of various energy projects that we do, Magnus Jägre explains.

This is the first year that SBS monitors carbon dioxide emissions linked to energy use, but it will not be the last. Because even if they are not covered by the legal requirements for ESG reporting, Magnus Jägre sees it as a necessity to build a successful company in the long term:

Our ambition is to be the largest student housing company in the Nordic region, and it is important to us that the sustainability aspect is included from the beginning, and is incorporated in our goals.

Since Metry already has ready-made collection methods for most energy and district heating companies in Sweden, and in most cases can offer historical data, getting started with the collection and follow-up was a quick process for SBS.

Getting a few years of history for a property is excellent. That way, we can see how it has performed over the years, and have something to compare today’s numbers with, says Magnus Jägre.

The tenants play a central role in the sustainability work

Part of the sustainability framework SBS works with includes motivating tenants to make more sustainable choices. It can be by giving the tenants tips on how to save water when doing their laundry, or making it easy to recycle. In the future, they plan to share consumption data with tenants to make their impact even more visible.

SBS plans to use the data for nudging, by for example letting the tenants compete with each other; ‘you are the best at saving water’, ‘this property is top 3 most energy efficient in the portfolio’, and so on. The good thing about working with sustainability right now is that basically everyone knows about the 2030 goals, and we hope that the students are interested in these issues so that we can involve them in our work, says Magnus Jägre.

SBS sees working with students as an opportunity to be able to influence many over the years. Partly because sustainability is much discussed in the schools where their tenants study, and partly because student housing naturally means a higher turnover of tenants.

The advantage here is that the students study for about three years, and during that time they live in our properties. When they finish school, they move into another apartment and maybe start working at an office. If we can educate them and nudge them to more sustainable choices during their time here, they can continue to have a positive impact in the future as well, Magnus Jägre explains.

Read more about SBS Studentbostäder

Magnus Jägre

Sustainability and Innovation Manager, SBS Studentbostäder

About SBS Studentbostäder i Norden

SBS owns, manages and develops student housing in long-term partnerships with municipalities, regions and universities. We offer affordable student housing of high quality and a fully digitalized rental management. Our ambition is to become the Nordic region’s leading student housing company and the given choice for students on their way to their dream profession.