The company announced its energy savings in a press statement, with director Jesper Faurholdt praising the achievement.

“It’s completely superb that it’s been possible to reduce [energy] consumption so much,” Faurholdt said.

“Staff have worked creatively with everything they could think of to hit the target of lower use,” he said.

The marked reduction in energy consumption was achieved through measures including reduced Christmas decorations in centres during the festive period, and using energy efficient LED lighting.

Indoor temperatures were reduced to 19 degrees Celsius in a measure similar to that seen in many public buildings in Denmark in recent months. Commercial lighting was switched off outside the centres’ opening hours.

Tenants using units in the centres were encouraged to switch off their own lights when the centres were closed.

Danske Shoppingcentre set a target in the autumn of a 10 percent saving on energy consumption by the end of the year. The savings therefore outstrip this target by more than double.

“We are going to take many of these measures, which have become good habits, with us into 2023,” Faurholdt said.

The director said that footfall in the shopping centres was higher in December than it was in December 2021. It should be noted that Covid-19 may have influenced the number of people in malls last winter.

The saving of 21.3 percent at the shopping centres corresponds to the annual energy consumption of 423 households, news wire Ritzau writes.

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