In October 2023, Posti opened a new regional terminal that serves as a hub for mail and parcel delivery. The terminal serves each of the about 150,000 postal customers in and around the city of Mikkeli. The terminal building utilizes ground source heating installed by JP-Yhtiöt Oy.
JP-Yhtiöt Oy is part of the Quattro Mikenti group, one of the largest building system specialists in Finland. The heat pumps used in the project came from Oilon.
“We have always been extremely happy with Oilon products. Additionally, we knew that a standard solution wouldn’t do here, and it turned out that we did need Oilon’s expertise and support in system design. This has been a very significant project for us,” says Joonas Halinen from JP-Yhtiöt.
The terminal heating system is powered by two heat pumps, RE96 and RE33, with a combined capacity of 129 kilowatts. The heat pumps are used to heat a 1,500-liter buffer tank that serves radiator circuits and fan convectors.
“Additionally, the heat pumps are used for heating a 500-liter domestic hot water tank that provides hot water for the personnel,” Halinen says.
Engineering support and hands-on help for site personnel
Each day, a large number of freight trucks bring mail and parcels to the terminal and leave with a new load. The terminal features around 15 loading bridges with huge roll-up doors.
“Naturally, we equipped the loading bridges with deicing equipment to prevent them from becoming life-threateningly slippery. Additionally, we installed fan convectors, or, air curtains at the roll-up doors. In cold weather, when a door opens, they’ll start blowing hot air. This prevents cold air from creeping into the bay. This is the kind of thing that needs to be considered when designing a heating system,” Halinen says.
Unlike a typical building, the terminal has a complex heating system with several different adjustable circuits: radiator circuits, ventilation, loading bridge de-icing equipment, fan convectors for roll-up doors, and ground source cooling. To ensure energy efficiency and smooth operation, each circuit must be integrated into the overall system in a smart way.
“When you have different heating circuits, ground source cooling and so on, you need a partner that can help with connection diagrams and connection work when need be. In these kinds of big projects, it is a definite plus to have support and safety only a phone call away and, if need be, even hands-on help at the site,” Halinen says.
The Oilon team is also extremely happy with the long-standing co-operation with the company. This project was no exception. Oilon’s Sales Manager Mikko Laaksonen can only praise JP-Company’s expertise both in this project and overall.
“We really appreciate the kind of long a customer relationship that we have with JP-Yhtiöt. They are a reliable contractor, and over the years, co-operation has always been smooth and professional, just like in this project. It was a pleasure to be part of it,” Laaksonen says.
Learn more about Oilon heat pumps here!