THERMIA SUCCESS STORIES | Public building | Visitor Center

History you can touch and feel – while enjoying the views in cozy comfort.

On a steep rocky promontory at the northern tip of sits the impressive medieval fortress of . It is a perfect destination for the whole family, offering an exciting mix of adventure and history, nature and relaxation in the comfortable visitor’s center powered by green, geothermal energy. The Hammershus Castle Ruins

The largest castle ruin in Northern Europe Hammershus is ’s largest medieval fortification. It is situated 74 meters above sea level on at the northern tip of the Danish island of Bornholm in the . The site consists of the main castle residence and the imposing Mantel Tower, and is surrounded by a great wall of stone that stretches 750 meters around the castle grounds.

Hammershus yesterday Top view of the Hammershus Visitor Center Originally constructed in the early 13th century, it was long believed that the castle was built as a private residence for the Archbishop of Lund. However, recent evidence uncovered at the site suggests that it was constructed as a royal residence for Valdemar II of and as a base for the Danish crusades.

The Hammershus fortress was fought over by various Danish and Swedish kings and changed hands several times throughout its storied history. For the first 500 years of The Visitor Center and bridge towards ruins and the castel its life, Hammershus served as the

2 | Thermia Heat Pumps Success Stories “Thanks to this modern and efficient geothermal energy system, visitors, guests, students and employees can learn about Danish history in comfort. At the same time, the Danish Nature Agency is able to save money while Bornholmers make a direct contribution to become carbon neutral.“ Soren Jensen, Sales Manager at Klimadan A/S

Thermia Heat Pumps Success Stories | 3 stronghold of the island’s various relaxing as you take in the fantastic itself becomes a natural vantage rulers. The fortress was rebuilt and panoramic views of the historical point with ample space for extended on several occasions. In ruins. The permanent exhibition enjoying the views. 1822, the ruins were placed on the in the visitor center features The roof gives a light and airy feel national historic register. numerous relics retrieved from to the building and allows light to the site. There is also a diorama enter from both sides, enhancing Hammershus today showing what the castle may have the feeling of space. It is designed Recently, a new Visitor Center has looked like in its glory days. When as a ‘landscape grandstand’ with been built into the rocks opposite it’s time for a little refreshment, the generous seating provision and the ruined fortress, which has charming family-run Café Solveig plenty of room to walk about. Far been a popular tourist destination offers guests the delights of a from compromising the historic in Denmark for decades. The traditional Danish menu. site, this public space enhances center was designed by Arkitema One of the design elements that the Hammershus experience with Architects and Professor Christoffer Arkitema and Christoffer Harlang a range of visitor facilities in a Harlang. The design concept chose to include in the project is sensitive and sustainable manner. sought to create a discreet a roof that follows the topography The center is open to visitors building that did not intrude on of the hilly landscape. As a result, throughout the whole year. the surrounding protected forest it is not possible to see the or the island’s best-known tourist “We chose a functional roof to visitor center as you approach attraction. enhance the visitors’ experience Hammershus. This imaginative of the landscape and to lessen Hammershus is a place where roof design offers two immediate the visual impact of the building you can spend hours exploring, advantages to visitors: the building as they approach the center. The discovering history or simply does not distract attention from roof thus becomes a natural part the main attraction while the roof

Show room

4 | Thermia Heat Pumps Success Stories View of the Visitor Center from the side of the castle of the surrounding path system, and cooling system is based on compressor. The main advantage rather than a disturbing element in Thermia Mega XL (21-88 kW), a of this heat pump is that it can the landscape. In other words, we new commercial ground-source continuously adjust heating or offer visitors an added opportunity heat pump with an inverter-driven cooling output to current demand. that wouldn’t have been available to them if they simply walked into a conventional visitor center. We Fact Box felt that it was important to create Commissioning date: a dynamic landscape route, where Spring 2018 visitors have plenty of opportunities Location: Hammershus, Bornholm, Denmark to experience the natural Architect: Arkitema Architects, in surroundings and the historical cooperation with Arkitema Urban, ruin”, explained Poul Schülein, Professor Christoffer Harlang and Senior Partner at project architects Wissenberg A/S. Arkitema. Heating system: Klimadan A/S In recent years, Hammershus has Building characteristics: • Heated area: 850 m2 been the site of the ‘Wonderwall’ music festival, where thousands • Heating: 165,000 kWh/year of people gather on the castle • Cooling: 35,000 kWh/year grounds to listen to Danish and Applied solution: Geothermal heating international acts. • Thermia Mega L (14-59 kW) Visitor center benefits from • 2,000 meters of ground source Thermia heat pumps collector tubes The Hammershus visitor center • Buffer tanks for cooling and extends to around 850 m2 and heating features an exhibition space, • Heating / cooling distribution system via floor heating and souvenir shop and restaurant. It is ventilation system open all year round. The heating Thermia Mega XL heat pump

Thermia Heat Pumps Success Stories | 5 In addition, the Thermia Mega can also provide simultaneous heating and cooling. If the primary function “It’s been an incredibly exciting task is cooling, any heat surplus is used to produce hot water. where we needed to work to a tight The new energy solution has brief and some very clear guidelines. enabled the Danish Nature Agency Ministry provide extremely energy- We chose to design a center using efficient heating and cooling that is sustainable and renewable while exclusive materials to match the guaranteeing superior comfort. location, while also focusing on The Hammershus visitor center is an excellent example of modern making the place feel inviting and architecture that perfectly blends into its historical landscape setting homely. It needed to be a place where and uses a high level of sustainable and green technology. everyone feels welcome and where the architecture is easy to understand.”

- Poul Schülein, Senior Partner at Arkitema

THERMIA THERMIA DEN ULTIMATIVE THE ULTIMATE ENERGIFORSYNING ENERGY PROVIDER SIDEN 1923 SINCE 1923

Pioneering heat pumps Engineered with passion Born in For the last 50 years, we have Developing truly sustainable renewable All our products are designed, dedicated all our resources and energy solutions can only be achieved manufactured, and tested in Sweden knowledge to developing and with passionate, dedicated, and using the latest technology and endlessly refining one product: the uncompromising experts. Some the highest quality components. All heat pump. Our focus on geothermal of Europe’s most highly qualified components inside our ground source energy has given us world leading engineers can be found in our own heat pumps are made in Europe by knowledge in heat pump technology. R&D center. world-leading industry specialists.

Thermia Heat Pumps thermia.com