Why Sweden
The decision came out of market research rather than instinct. Wherever we looked, the same gap appeared: Swedish property owners wanted water savings, energy savings and metering in a single solution — and were being offered them as separate purchases.
Our market research pointed clearly in one direction. In Sweden the demand is for water saving and metering combined, not as separate investments. That combination is exactly what we have built, and it is why we chose to establish a company in Sweden rather than serve the market from Finland.
— Kimmo Pelkonen, CEO and founder, ClimaPri Oy
The two markets have more in common than not: large multi-family housing stock, district heating, professional property management, and growing pressure to document consumption. The frustrations travel just as well — manual readings, billing disputes, leaks found too late, and heating systems working harder than the building needs.
What Swedish owners are asking for
Cristian Sterning has spent the past years working with commercial and residential property owners on energy savings, water management and water quality. His reading of the market is that the willingness is already there. It's the confidence that's missing.
Many Swedish property owners genuinely want to do their part for the environment, but they find it hard to know which suppliers and solutions to trust in a crowded market. I want to help them make the right choice.
— Cristian Sterning, CEO, ClimaPri AB
And once they have chosen, they want proof.
The frustration I hear most often comes from managers who invested in energy saving solutions and then struggled to verify what the investment actually delivered. Transparency and usability are key.
That is the case for measuring before optimising. A properly metered building can show what the change was worth. One that isn't is left arguing about it.
The timing helps.
The EU energy efficiency directive has pushed the needle, and awareness of IMD and metering has grown considerably. The last few summers with water shortages have made the need for solutions that actually work very concrete for property owners.
Why Cristian
We received close to 200 applications, and Cristian stood out as the strongest candidate among many strong ones — his advantage is an established network among Swedish property owners combined with deep knowledge of metering and control technology. That combination is exactly what opening a new market requires. Trust in Cristian came immediately, and we firmly believe that under his leadership we will be a winning team in Sweden as well.
— Kimmo Pelkonen, CEO and founder, ClimaPri Oy
What happens next
ClimaPri brings together two things that are usually bought separately: metering and billing data on one side, active energy management on the other — all in a single platform. Managers get reliable consumption data, alerts on leaks and anomalies, and one view across a whole portfolio. Where the building allows it, the same system lowers heat consumption by optimising apartment temperatures.
The approach is proven in Nordic residential buildings, with the technology installed and in use in over 35,000 apartments across Finland. Customers include some of the leading rental housing companies in the Nordics, among them Helsinki City Housing Company Heka, Vantaa City Housing Company VAV, and Avara.
ClimaPri AB is open for business now. Cristian's first focus is on two groups: owners planning thermostat or heating renovations, where metering and control can be built in while the work is already underway — and municipal and communal property companies that have yet to offer IMD to their tenants.
Twelve months from now I want us to have enough successful installations and customers that we can hire more people in Sweden — and together make a real impact, environmentally and economically, for those customers.
— Cristian Sterning, CEO, ClimaPri AB
Own or manage property in Sweden?
Contact Cristian to find out what this would mean for your buildings.