Public buildings

Leppävirta’s new rescue station, which operates round the clock, is heated using ground source energy

Leppävirta’s new rescue station was commissioned in August 2026. The new building, covering approximately 1,770 square metres, serves the area’s rescue services round the clock and provides modern facilities for rescue personnel, paramedics and equipment alike. Gebwell’s ground source heat pump system is responsible for heating and cooling the building.

The energy solution was chosen on the basis of life-cycle costs and climate targets

According to Reino Pyyn, Head of Construction for the North Savo Welfare Region, ground source heat was chosen as part of the region’s climate targets and a comparison of energy solutions for new developments.

– We always aim to assess whether ground source heat is suitable for a new development. For this project, the additional cost of ground source heat compared to the alternative heating solution was around 160,000–180,000 euros, and the payback period for the investment was estimated at 5–6 years. ‘Taking into account the system’s operational reliability, favourable life-cycle costs and the climate and sustainability targets for the wellbeing area, the choice fell on ground source heating,’ says Pyy.

Reliable heating for a critical building In facilities such as fire stations, building services are required to offer a particularly high level of operational reliability. The premises are on call 24 hours a day, and different parts of the building have very different operational requirements.

*Deputy Fire Chief Juuso Aalto and the G-Eco Core 80 heat pumps operating with R290 refrigerant*

– At the Leppävirta fire station, heating is required in, amongst other places, the equipment hall, the wash hall, the offices, the training and meeting rooms, and the staff welfare and break rooms. The ground source heat pump system is also used to keep the equipment yard free of ice, explains Deputy Fire Chief Juuso Aalto.

*Ground source heating is also used to heat the rescue station’s equipment hall.*

He says the station represents a significant improvement to staff’s day-to-day lives.

– This means everything to the staff. The previous temporary premises were cramped and impractical due to indoor air quality problems at the old facility, Aalto explains.

Cooling is also provided by the energy wells

In conjunction with the G-Eco ground source heat pump solution, which uses R290 refrigerant, a passive cooling system was also implemented, utilising the energy well field to cool the building during the summer. This solution improves indoor conditions, particularly in offices, meeting rooms, rest areas and break rooms.

*Ground source heating and cooling are distributed throughout the building via ceiling radiators, amongst other means.*

The building utilises water-circulating underfloor heating solutions, ceiling radiators, fan coil units and other heat transfer solutions selected according to their intended use for the distribution of heating and cooling

Gebwell system supplied

The following were supplied to the Leppävirta rescue station:

2 x Gebwell G-Eco Core 80 ground source heat pumps
1,000 l Gebwell G-Energy Coil domestic hot water heater
1,000 l Gebwell G-Energy buffer tank
an electric boiler to ensure peak power
a heat exchanger for passive cooling

heat exchanger for keeping the outdoor area free of ice

Project overview

Project: Leppävirta rescue station
Location: Leppävirta
Developer: Pohjois-Savo Welfare Region
Completion: 2026
Floor area: 1,770 m²
Heating solution: ground source heat pump and passive cooling
Supply: A system comprising two Gebwell G-Eco Core 80 ground source heat pumps with storage tanks