In this episode of our Energy Hero series, we meet Yonas Meshaima, energy manager at Holstebro Municipality. In the interview, Yonas explains how Holstebro transformed the city’s old Slaughterhouse into a lively meeting point for locals, the challenges of heating a large concrete building, and what role sustainability played in the transformation.

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On a quest to reduce energy waste

In the third episode of our Energy Hero series we feature Yonas Meshaima, energy manager at Holstebro Municipality, Denmark. When his son was born, the former ballet dancer decided to contribute his part for the planet’s future by actively fighting climate change. This is why he is now working on a daily basis to reduce the CO2 emissions from Holstebro’s municipal buildings.

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“I go home from work happy and proud when I have saved some CO2.”
– Yonas Meshaima

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Spotlight on Slagteriet: Reimagining space, reducing environmental impact

"Slagteriet," a former swine slaughterhouse, has been transformed into a vibrant cultural hub. The project is an example of sustainable reuse: From a concert hall and bakery to a bouldering club, this multifaceted space showcases how adaptive reuse can minimise environmental impact.

In the interview, Yonas shares the challenges of warming up and ventilating large spaces in a concrete building and how they solved them, “We had to think outside the box to heat up these rooms relatively quickly, which is why we ended up with calorifiers. We later found out that the ventilation not only helps heat the space but also maintain the temperature in these big, cold rooms.”

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A series dedicated to knowledge-sharing and inspiring others

We invite you to watch the video to learn more about Yonas and how Holstebro managed to transform the old slaughterhouse in a sustainable way. We hope that Yonas’ story and his daily mission to reduce the carbon footprint of Holstebro’s municipal buildings serve as an inspiration for anyone working within building optimisation.

A sincere thank you to Yonas Meshaima for sharing his story and for his ongoing support of our mission.

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About the Energy Hero series

The Energy Heroes video series showcases the inspiring stories of dedicated professionals who play a pivotal role in energy management, often without widespread recognition. These individuals demonstrate exceptional commitment to sustainability and efficiency, impacting their communities or organisations in significant yet often underappreciated ways.