Ski Storsenter
thonsenter.no/skiSki Storsenter, part of the Thon Group, is one of Norway’s largest shopping centres, comprising 120,000 square metres of retail space with 149 stores, a cinema, and numerous restaurants. With thousands of daily visitors and a constant interplay between tenants, the operational demands are vast. Managing resources efficiently is not simply a cost consideration but also a matter of maintaining the centre’s reputation as a modern, sustainable destination.
By introducing Smartvatten’s intelligent water management system, Ski Storsenter not only addressed that challenge but also turned it into a showcase of sustainability and efficiency. The results speak volumes—real financial savings, sharper operational oversight, and recognition as one of Scandinavia’s most forward-thinking shopping centres.
At the heart of Norway’s retail landscape lies Ski Storsenter, a shopping destination of impressive scale and activity. Behind its polished storefronts and buzzing corridors, however, the operations team faced a challenge that is common in large commercial facilities: how to stay in full control of water consumption across a sprawling, complex property.
“In such a big building, we knew there had to be a leak or some unnecessary water usage somewhere, but to find it is not so simple.”, referred Ole Sørlie, Operations Manager at Ski Storsenter.
Before Smartvatten’s solution was in place, Ski Storsenter’s operations team lacked precise insight into how water was being consumed throughout the centre. Traditional manual readings provided only yearly snapshots, making it difficult to spot abnormal usage quickly. Leaks—especially small but persistent ones—risked going undetected for long periods, translating into significant costs and wasted resources. Beyond financial inefficiencies, the centre’s management wanted to strengthen its environmental profile by cutting unnecessary consumption and improving transparency with both tenants and visitors.
The system quickly proved its worth. Not long after rollout, Smartvatten’s analytics detected water consumption during overnight hours when the centre was closed. What seemed like a small leak—just seven litres per hour—was identified, traced, and repaired. Left unchecked, that single leak would have cost the centre nearly NOK 200,000 annually. This was a clear demonstration of the power of constant monitoring: issues invisible to the naked eye became opportunities for rapid savings.
Beyond that one leak, the system continues to serve as an early warning mechanism. Overnight consumption spikes, tenant-specific anomalies, or unusual weekend patterns are flagged automatically. The operations team can then act before the problem grows, saving both money and potential water damage while reassuring tenants that the building is managed with precision.
The measurable outcomes have been significant. Ski Storsenter now operates with a level of water transparency that was previously unattainable. The financial savings are obvious—hundreds of thousands of kroner protected each year—but the benefits go deeper. Staff no longer need to spend hours manually checking meters. Tenants trust the monitoring process and appreciate the accountability it provides. And most importantly, the centre has aligned its operations with the Thon Group’s wider sustainability goals, becoming a leader in environmentally responsible retail management.
This transformation has not gone unnoticed. Ski Storsenter has received multiple sustainability awards, including Green Operations Team of the Year (2023) and the NCSC Sustainability Award (2022), recognition that reflects not just the technology adopted but the mindset of proactive, data-driven facility management.
“Our property is quite large, with hundreds of moving parts,” says Ole Sørlie, Operations Manager at Ski Storsenter. “In the past, we might not have noticed a leak until the water bill came in weeks later. With Smartvatten, we spotted a seven-litre-per-hour leak within days, and fixing it saved us around 200,000 kroner in a single year. That’s money we can reinvest into making the centre even better for our tenants and visitors. For me, the real value is peace of mind—I know that if something unusual happens with our water usage, we’ll hear about it immediately, not after the damage is done.”
Ski Storsenter’s story illustrates the power of real-time monitoring in large, complex facilities. Smartvatten turned water consumption into a controllable, predictable factor rather than an unpredictable risk. The case demonstrates not only the direct financial return from leak detection but also the broader gains in sustainability, operational efficiency, and stakeholder confidence.
By marrying technology with practical facility management, Ski Storsenter has set a standard for what shopping centres of the future can look like: places where commerce thrives, customers feel secure, and resources are stewarded wisely.
Jens Karlsson
Sales Director Norway
Smartvatten
jens.karlsson@smartvatten.no
