Denmark’s municipal climate efforts: energy efficiency as a key strategy
There is no shortage of climate-related tasks for Danish municipalities. They are expected to deliver on energy-saving requirements, the EU Energy Efficiency Directive, sustainable development goals, and Denmark's national climate targets. It’s a major task, requiring the implementation of viable, climate-friendly solutions and new technologies to support green initiatives and ambitions. Collaboration and coordination with regional authorities, the state, private businesses, and citizens are essential—and it all requires funding, capacity, and expertise.
At Enity, we work closely with Danish municipalities in their efforts to deliver on climate policy, with a special focus on energy efficiency. For years, we’ve supported municipalities in gaining critical insight into their resource consumption—helping them realize their climate goals with data, savings, and documentation. We assist with digital energy monitoring and management systems, as well as with resources and expertise when municipalities lack the capacity in-house. The ambition for a carbon-neutral society by 2050 requires major change, and municipalities are playing a key role in that transition through their local experience and commitment.
Energy efficiency to reduce emissions from municipal buildings
With responsibility for approximately 31 million square meters of buildings, municipalities are Denmark’s largest property owners. The share of emissions from municipal buildings varies based on factors like building size, energy use, and sources. However, buildings are a significant source of CO₂ emissions due to heating, cooling, lighting, water use, and other energy-demanding operations.
Public buildings, including schools, sports halls, offices, and care institutions, can account for up to 30–40% of a municipality’s total CO₂ emissions.
This makes energy efficiency in buildings a crucial climate strategy. Measures such as energy retrofitting, installing energy-efficient systems, and switching to green energy sources can significantly reduce emissions.
As mentioned earlier, municipalities have been working on energy efficiency for years—particularly through digital energy management. According to an Enity study, 91 out of 98 municipalities in Denmark use some form of digital energy monitoring. This puts them ahead of many other sectors in terms of reducing energy use and emissions.
Digital energy management enables control and climate reporting
Digital energy management allows municipalities to set ambitious goals and automate the collection of consumption data. With their widespread monitoring systems, municipalities are well-equipped to work strategically with CO₂ reduction. However, monitoring alone doesn’t create savings. Our experience shows that municipalities with a dedicated role focused on energy data—or those outsourcing the task to Enity energy advisors—achieve the greatest impact. It’s the combination of strategy, proactive monitoring, and the ability to act quickly that leads to real savings and lower emissions.
Among the 91 municipalities using energy monitoring, Enity has a 35% market share, giving us a solid data foundation and strong partnerships with Danish municipalities, either directly or indirectly.
Digital energy management in practice
Energy waste in public buildings can be costly if not detected. Properties using Enity EMS are equipped with alarms that notify users of abnormal consumption. Municipalities with metering or full-service support from Enity benefit from active monitoring by our Support & Service team.
Municipalities using Enity’s EMS platform can also automate their climate reporting. With digitalized data, municipalities can calculate their full climate impact using the GHG protocol’s Scope 1, 2, and 3 categories. This provides a CO₂ footprint across energy, water, and waste consumption—all in one platform, with automated workflows to ease the reporting burden.
Energy efficiency remains one of the most cost-effective and immediate ways to reach our shared climate goals. The work municipalities do to reduce energy use in public buildings is essential for Denmark’s ambition of carbon neutrality by 2050. Their widespread use of digital tools like Enity EMS enables continuous emissions reduction—and provides valuable experience for the broader community in how digitalization can bring climate strategies like energy efficiency to life.
