The Diocese Office in Linköping

Address

Ågatan 65
582 22 Linköping, Sweden

General information

Building manager

The Diocese of Linköping is one of the 13 regional units of the Church of Sweden. Its task is to support the 102 parishes in Östergötland and northern Småland. The Diocese Office (Stiftskansliet) building lies opposite the Cathedral, an essential part of the historical centre of Linköping and has high heritage values. The Church of Sweden owns about 20.000 properties, of which 3400 are churches and is the Swedish largest property owner. Six hundred properties are administrative buildings with a total NFA of ca. 330.000 sqm.

Building age

The main and east part was built in 1830, the west part in 1875, and the round extension in 1926.

Protection level

Listed building Historic Environment Act.

Building use

The building was used as a school between 1830 and 1864. From 1864 to 1973, it served as an office and library; from 1973 to 1993, the Cathedral Chapter House occupied it. Since 1993, it has been a Linköpings Diocese Office.

Building area

The net floor area is 2007 sqm.

Construction type

It has brick walls with plaster, wooden joists and roof trusses, a slate roof (main building), and sheet metal (Rotunda). Two cellar rooms and a staircase from the Middle Ages are integrated into the basement.

Building typology

Non-residential buildings built before 1945 in Sweden account for approximately 2 % of the energy use of the total building stock in Sweden (source: Swedish Energy Agency). These buildings are diverse in design and construction but face similar challenges related to the balance between preservation and energy use. They comprise commercial and public buildings, often with high heritage values. Finding a proper use of the building and designing and optimising HVAC systems for a specific use are typical challenges. Until now, little research has been carried out in Sweden on how to consider heritage values in the planning process for this particular category of buildings, and the potential to both improve energy efficiency and preserve heritage values is considerable.

Geographical area and context

Linköping lies in southern Sweden, which has a humid continental climate. It is Sweden’s fifth largest city, with around 170,000 inhabitants and is known for its university and high-tech industry.

Ongoing activities

The building manager is currently looking to rent out part of the building. Early sketches and calculations are being performed. A heritage significance assessment will also be done as part of the process. IAQ and thermal comfort are important issues to address in the upcoming renovation. Currently, there is no separate metering for tenant electricity and landlord use.

Works planned under the FuturHist project

The project will help the Diocese and the Church of Sweden identify acceptable solutions to achieve a modern indoor climate standard in an energy-efficient and cost-effective manner, conserving the properties’ heritage values. The Swedish Church’s stated goal is to achieve climate neutrality by 2030, and the learnings from the FuturHist demo projects will play an important part in achieving this goal.