FVB was founded in Sweden and for more than 40 years has helped clients create, operate and grow energy systems in both the private and non-profit sectors. With offices in the U.S., Canada, Bahrain and Sweden, FVB offers the perspective of an experienced global partner, plus the insight to customize energy solutions for local conditions and needs.

They have worked in nearly all U.S. states, most Canadian provinces and territories, and more than 30 countries. In North America, FVB has helped develop nearly 80 percent of the new district energy systems built since 1990.

Their extensive international experience helps us quickly identify business, technical and environmental issues that need to be considered from the outset. With a focus on the business implications of engineering decisions, FVB designs for the bottom line.

FVB is the abbreviation for Fjärrvärmebyrån (District Heating Bureau in English).  Fjärrvärmebyrån started as a government department in 1970 to assist municipalities develop District Heating Systems.  Whenever municipalities in Sweden needed help to develop their District Heating systems the government would send experts from the “Bureau” to assist them.

Eventually, the employees bought FVB and became a private consulting company.  Fjärrvärmebyrån has over a hundred employees world-wide and has consulted in DE for over 40 years working in over 30 countries.  Among other accomplishments, it designed the largest hot water district heating system in North America in Saint Paul, Minnesota in the 1980’s.

FVB began operating in the US in 1980 and eventually opened an office in Canada in 1992.  In Canada, FVB has offices in Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Ottawa.  In the United States, FVB offices are located in Minneapolis and Seattle.

The key quality that makes FVB unique as a consulting firm is a combination of business and technical skills focussed on DE.  FVB has used this unique combination of skills to develop 50 new DES in North America over the past 20 years.  In most of these projects, FVB developed the initial business case then followed through with system planning, marketing, design, construction and on-going support for operations and expansion.

FVB’s continued involvement with several operating DES that it designed has given it a rare window on the industry that is invaluable for development of business cases for new DES.