Helsingin Energia / real-time energy consumption data
Written by Juhuu on March 26, 2009.
In February 2008, Pixelache, Helsingin Energia and many other partner organisations were involved in realising the Nuage Vert artwork by HeHe (Helen Evans & Heiko Hansen). Nuage Vert used a laser to draw the outline of the exhaust fumes of Helsingin Energia powerplant in Ruoholahti. The green cloud was growing and shrinking based on the energy consumption in the Ruohonlahti area.
One year later, Nuage Vert was given the Environmental Artwork of the Year Award by Finnish Environmental Art Foundation. The same day, Helsingin Energia announced that they would release more real-time data about energy consumption in Helsinki area. Hourly updated information about electricity consumption, heating and cooling is now available online.
Helsingin Energia is the first energy company in Finland to release this amount of detailed real-time information. This level of information transparency about energy consumption is also rare amongst energy companies in the world today.
Pixelache and Helsingin Energia are looking for artists and designers that could propose ideas of how energy consumption data could be utilized in artworks in the public space of Helsinki or in online applications. Beyond mere information illustrations, the purpose is to try to find non-conventional ways to use this information and to explore how we could go futher from the current ‘energy talk’ to concrete action. Pixelache festival will also gather ideas and proposals from general audience.
More information:
- Draft version of real-time information about Helsinki area energy consumption: www.helen.fi/slj/energiahankinta
- Energianeuvoja (advice about energy consumption, in Finnish) : www.energianeuvoja.fi
- Nuage Vert by HeHe (Helen Evans / Heiko Hansen): www.nuagevert.org
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