Environmental performance

DNA considers it important to recognise the environmental impacts and risks of its business, and to operate according to the principles of sustainable development.

Reducing our and our customers' environmental impact

DNA considers it important to recognise the environmental impacts and risks of its business, and to operate according to the principles of sustainable development. For us, responsibility for environmental performance translates into improving energy efficiency, reducing our carbon footprint in production, logistics, facilities and employee travel, as well as using renewable energy. 

We wish to set an example for our customers in reducing the carbon footprint. DNA’s flexible work reduces emissions from commuting by some 49%, according to a study conducted by DNA. We also help our customers to reduce their environmental impact by providing comprehensive Internet and mobile phone services, which minimise the need for work-related travel.

DNA’s directly procured energy is hydro or wind power and comes with a Guarantee of Origin. In addition, we aim to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by improving the energy efficiency of our radio network.

We report on our energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in our annual Corporate Responsibility Report.

Wattinen is a new service for households to fight climate change

Heating buildings is one of the biggest sources of climate emissions in Finland, DNA’s new service Wattinen is very effective service to help households to reduce their climate emissions. According to Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority HSY statistics, it generated more than 56 per cent of all climate emissions in Helsinki last year and over half of all emissions in the capital city region. Wattinen is aimed at housing companies and their residents, enabling them to save up to 30 per cent on the energy used in heating. 

Easy-to-use and intelligent

Wattinen automatically ensures a suitable temperature inside apartments. The smart service is installed into existing heating systems and adjusts residents’ heating in accordance with their preferences, thereby automatically preventing unnecessary energy consumption. Wattinen is based on self-learning artificial intelligence that continually gathers data on, for example, heat retention, weather forecasts and the property’s location. With the aid of this data, Wattinen decides how to adjust the heating in each room in order to optimise both residents’ comfort and the property’s heating energy consumption. The AI accurately predicts and controls the property’s heating room by room.

When a housing company starts using Wattinen, a smart thermostat with a wireless connection to the service will be installed in every radiator. Residents can use a mobile app to adjust and schedule their heating to their liking. Heating can also be adjusted in the traditional manner, using a thermostat. Heating is always adjusted to the Celsius scale.

Wattinen enables you to control the temperature in individual rooms. For example, a slightly lower temperature can be set in bedrooms overnight for a better night’s sleep, while ensuring it’s still nice and warm at bedtime and in the morning. Wattinen also saves energy while you are out at work or away on holiday.

DNA's data centre heats a medical centre next door

Waste heat is recovered at DNA's Rauma office and used in the Minerva Medical Centre next door. Servers that are located in DNA's equipment facilities require significant cooling, and with the help of new cooperation, waste heat is used in the medical centre nearby. Significant savings are achieved through cooperation in the heating costs of the hospital, and electricity is also saved in DNA's office.

Critical servers are located at the equipment facilities in Rauma that produce DNA's entertainment, corporate and consumer services.

Servers require significant cooling, and waste heat is now used as this heating and use water for radiators at the Minerva Medical Centre.

How did this idea come about, DNA's Vesa Raikisto from Rauma?

”Our landlord in Rauma changed, and the new owner of the property decided to carry out a complete renovation. In this connection, heat recovery was discussed and the possibility of using waste heat from DNA's equipment facilities.”

The technical solution was easy to implement but the challenge was to find suitable routes in an old property that is filled with cables.

The arrangement benefits both parties. With the help of the procedure, there is an annual reduction of 19.4 per cent in emissions and operating costs in Minerva's heating. The recovery of heating in DNA's property reduces the temperature of the coolant at the equipment facilities and thus directly reduces the energy required for cooling. Similarly, the carbon dioxide emissions of the property were reduced by several tens of tons per year due to the renovation.

“The pigeons were probably the only ones who were disappointed in the matter as they had been able to enjoy the heat from ventilated air during cold weather,” says Raikisto with amusement.

The Carbon Neutral Municipalities project (HINKU) of the Finnish Environment Institute awarded the innovative carbon neutral solution of Minerva Medical Centre and DNA’s Rauma office as the best emission reduction method of the month.