At Barnens Ö in the Stockholm archipelago, nature, community and more than a century of summer camp activities come together. Behind it all is an extensive infrastructure that needs to work reliably every day. Together with Ahlsell, Wioniq is helping Barnens Ö monitor water, temperature and other critical functions – with one clear purpose: to create the best possible environment for the children staying on the island.
Barnens Ö covers approximately 650 hectares of land and more than 30 kilometres of shoreline across Granö, Lingslätö and Salnö in the northern Stockholm archipelago. For more than a century, children and young people have come here to experience summer camp, nature and a sense of community.
With more than 400 buildings, its own water and electricity supply and its own wastewater system, there is also extensive infrastructure behind the day-to-day operation. During peak season, around 3,000 people can be on site at the same time, placing high demands on essential systems and services.
Previously, monitoring many of these systems required significant manual work and regular on-site inspections by facility staff. Together, Ahlsell and Wioniq saw an opportunity to simplify this work through smarter, continuous monitoring.
– Ahlsell had identified a need at Barnens Ö and saw that our solutions could be a good fit. Once the customer was ready to start testing, we were able to move quickly from decision to installation on site, says Dan Wärja at Wioniq.
The project focuses on several functions that are important to everyday operations at Barnens Ö, including monitoring water reservoirs, refrigerators and freezers, building temperatures and hot water systems.
Connected sensors and continuous data collection give the facility team a clearer overview of how these systems are performing. Deviations can be detected earlier, allowing the right action to be taken before a small issue develops into a larger operational problem.
The water supply is one clear example.
– When thousands of people are on the island at the same time, a reliable drinking water supply is essential. There have previously been incidents where leaks caused water to escape from the system. By identifying changes earlier, we can help Barnens Ö respond faster and create more reliable and secure operations, says Dan.
The monitoring solution has already helped identify deviations that otherwise could have been difficult to detect.
Among other things, an unwanted leak in the water system has been identified, as well as changes in temperature. The information enabled electricians and facility staff to investigate the causes quickly and resolve the issues.
The next step is to create even greater opportunities to monitor and manage functions remotely.
Before the start of each season, facility staff have previously needed to be on site for extended periods to switch on hot water systems, check heating and make sure the buildings are ready. With better digital visibility, more of these activities can be monitored and managed remotely.
That means less time spent on manual inspections – and more time available for the things that create real value.
– The technology itself is really just a tool. What matters is what it makes possible. If we can reduce unnecessary journeys, identify problems earlier and free up time and resources for Barnens Ö, more focus can be placed on the activities and the children who come here. It feels great to be part of that journey, says Dan.
For Wioniq, smart monitoring is about more than data and sensors. By making information from infrastructure visible and accessible, organisations can work more proactively, use their resources more effectively and reduce the risk of unexpected problems.
At Barnens Ö, that means better control of essential functions – but more importantly, better conditions for creating a safe, reliable and rewarding environment for the children and young people who visit every year.
Because in the end, it is not about monitoring the systems. It is about making sure they simply work – so the focus can stay where it belongs: on the children.
Commercial Manager
Dan Wärja
dan.warja@wioniq.com
+46 702 38 50 04