immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Category: Sustainability

  • Synhelion and Cemex scale up solar clinker to industrial level

    Synhelion and Cemex scale up solar clinker to industrial level

    Synhelion, the global pioneer for sustainable solar fuels, had produced solar clinker for the first time in January 2022 with cement producer Cemex in a Spanish pilot plant. Now, according to an identical media release, the two companies have scaled up production to an industrial level.

    In the process, solar receivers from Synhelion, a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, use concentrated sunlight to generate temperatures of over 1500 degrees. This heats a gaseous heat transfer medium. In this way, the heat required to fuse limestone, clay and other materials together can be provided. In traditional clinker production, fossil fuels are used for the energy-intensive process, which are responsible for about 40 per cent of direct CO2 emissions. The goal of the cooperation between Synhelion and Cemex is to develop a completely solar-powered cement production.

    The current stage of development is “an exciting milestone for all parties involved, achieved through the excellent collaboration between the Cemex and Synhelion teams,” Gianluca Ambrosetti, co-CEO and co-founder of Synhelion, is quoted as saying in the release. “Our technology can make an important contribution to the decarbonisation of cement production, and we look forward to further breakthrough achievements in this area.” Cemex CEO Fernando A. González adds, “The solid progress I see here proves that solar cement is not just a dream, but can be achieved through continued collaboration and rigorous research and testing.”

  • Foldable solar roof from iWorks is validated

    Foldable solar roof from iWorks is validated

    A team of seven engineers from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences(ZHAW) has validated the photovoltaic solution of the Liechtenstein company iWorks as part of an Innosuisse project. The foldable Urbanbox are solar module carriers that can be automatically extended and retracted. They were developed for cities and companies. The validation team from the two Institutes of Energy Systems and Fluid Engineering(IEFE) and Mechanical Systems(IMES) at the ZHAW School of Engineering was supported by the Swiss Climate Foundation.

    The carriers of the photovoltaic modules are retracted into a robust box by a digital control system in extreme weather conditions and extended again in favourable weather. Because this eliminates the need for a massive substructure and the modules are cleaned by a rotating brush as they move in or out of the box, iWorks says this eliminates significant costs compared to permanently installed solar roofs.

    “With this milestone, the economic dual use of surfaces in urban areas for solar power generation is foreseeable as early as next year,” Prof. Dr. Franz Baumgartner of IEFE, who also heads the Energy and Environmental Technology course at ZHAW, is quoted as saying in a media release. “This gives companies and municipalities another effective way to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to the energy transition.”

    The iWorks company, together with the team from the two ZHAW institutes, is now ready to move on to the next phase of the project, the release says. Based on what has been achieved so far, a fully industrialised Urbanbox solution for commercial use is to be realised this year.

  • AMAG commissions second photovoltaic plant in Cham

    AMAG commissions second photovoltaic plant in Cham

    AMAG has connected the second solar plant on the roof of its own car park at Alte Steinhauserstrasse 5 in Cham to the local power grid. According to a media release from the car dealer, over 786 solar modules were installed on an area of 1599 square metres. This could generate 320,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

    The public car park is operated by AMAG Parking AG. With the activation of the facility, the AMAG Group is continuing to work on the implementation of its sustainability and climate strategy. In June 2023, the car dealer had commissioned a photovoltaic roof system at AMAG Zug. As there, the electricity is intended to cover AMAG’s own needs. Any excess production is to be fed into the public power grid.

    By 2025, 75,000 square metres of the roofs of AMAG plants are to be equipped with solar panels. The AMAG Group has gradually expanded its solar capacities in recent years. This has resulted in the installation of corresponding systems on the roofs of numerous plants.

  • Dormakaba is a practice partner in EU research on building management

    Dormakaba is a practice partner in EU research on building management

    The European Union is funding the openDBL (Digital Building Logbook) research project to improve building management. A total of 13 partners from eight European countries are involved, according to a media release. The only partner from practice is the Rümlang-based company dormakaba, which specialises in access management for buildings. The other partners are research institutes, administrations and companies from the IT sector.

    The initiative will streamline building maintenance, improve data accessibility and promote sustainable practices, according to the release. The researchers have already held their second working meeting. It took place on 18 and 19 July at dormakaba’s headquarters in Ruemlang. “With our expertise and innovative solutions, we will help pave the way for standardised approaches and the revolutionisation of building operations,” dormakaba project coordinator Kai Oberste-Ufer is quoted as saying.

    The project, which has a budget of 4.5 million euros, aims to transform the management and retrieval of building data by developing a new type of digital logbook, according to the statement. This will serve as a central platform to store and manage information, including construction details, maintenance records and operational data such as air quality. The logbook will be equipped with open interfaces.

    The Europe-wide pilot tests of the 13 partners from Estonia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Romania and Spain are coordinated by the research and technology organisation CETMA.

  • “co-operate” – a model for climate-friendly construction

    “co-operate” – a model for climate-friendly construction

    As far as the sparing use of resources and the reduction of CO2 emissions are concerned, the campus that is taking shape on the Empa site in Dübendorf should certainly become a model student – from the top to the bottom, from the roofs to a depth of 100 metres, where the earth probes of a unique experimental seasonal energy storage system end. In summer, these “tubes” will store the waste heat from, for example, the refrigeration machines, ventilation systems and laboratory equipment, and then use it in winter for heating or for the production of hot water. The goal: to reduce the CO2 emissions of the buildings on the entire campus to a minimum and at the same time explore this innovative technology for a sustainable energy future.

    Minimising greenhouse gas emissions: This aspiration also shapes the constructions of the new campus. The three-storey building to the right of the entrance is a unique “wood-concrete car park” whose ceilings are a sophisticated construction of spruce beams and slabs with concrete overlay. According to the construction company Implenia, this hybrid construction method made it possible to reduce the thickness of the concrete layers to about one third. A significant saving was made on the “climate polluter” cement: around 9,300 m2 of concrete ribbed ceilings were replaced with wooden beam ceilings – also a contribution to the current trend of replacing concrete, where possible and sensible, largely with constructions made of wood.

    According to Kevin Olas, Head of Real Estate at Empa, one of the challenging aspects of this project was the cleverly integrated installation of lighting, electrical lines and waste water pipes, so as not to detract from the aesthetics of this sophisticated hybrid construction. In addition, the planning also had to take future aspects into account: With a view to climate change, the multi-storey car park was planned as a modular construction made of demountable prefabricated parts – with a view to a more distant future in which individual mobility may play a lesser role than it does today. Then parts of the building could also be converted into workshops or for other purposes.

    Urine as raw material for fertiliser
    In this future, environmentally friendly recycling will also determine building: Not only steel, concrete or wooden elements can be recycled in a climate-friendly way, but also human “raw materials”. Take urine, for example: in the large laboratory building at the centre of “co-operate”, “NoMix” toilets have been installed, which experts from the Eawag Water Research Institute have developed over the past few years. Without changing the usual use, they separate human urine from the so-called black water from faeces, flushing water and toilet paper.

    Because urine contains valuable nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, it can be used to produce fertiliser for agriculture. In a process specially developed by Eawag, the raw material is first stabilised in the basement of the NEST building using a biological process, thus losing its strong odour. An activated carbon filter removes all drug residues before the liquid is finally evaporated – to produce a high-quality fertiliser called “Aurin”, which is marketed by the Eawag spin-off Vuna GmbH. 1000 litres of urine produce 100 litres of this fertiliser, which since 2018 has also been approved by the Federal Office for Agriculture for use on edible plants.

    Many mosaic stones for a good carbon footprint

    In addition to the inconspicuous urine collection system, many obvious details document the campus’ claim to be a signpost for environmentally friendly construction. Photovoltaic installations will massively increase the campus’ own electricity production. And on more than 14,000 m2 of floor space, people move on recycled asphalt with a high proportion of 80 percent recycled material in the base layer and 20 percent in the thin surface layer.

    At the same time, the landscape architects have freely dispensed with asphalt in order to design close to nature: Previously sealed areas are “liberated”, such as Ludwig-Tetmajer-Strasse on the Empa site. “This ‘car park asphalt desert’ will become a green and shady zone,” explains Kevin Olas. And behind the large new buildings, biodiversity is also being promoted with diverse plants and trees – thanks to selected heat-resistant species that will also feel at home in future climate conditions.

  • Zurich Wind – Zurich cooperation for the use of Zurich wind energy

    Zurich Wind – Zurich cooperation for the use of Zurich wind energy

    With its Energy Strategy and Energy Planning 2022, the Zurich cantonal government has defined the direction of travel in the canton of Zurich: away from imported, fossil fuels towards renewable, domestic energy. EKZ, ewz and Stadtwerk Winterthur therefore intend to jointly implement wind projects at the sites defined by the Canton of Zurich and specified in the Cantonal Structure Plan. The governments of the cities of Zurich and Winterthur have approved a corresponding cooperation agreement. Michael Baumer, Zurich City Councillor: “With EKZ, ewz and Stadtwerk Winterthur, three strong partners have joined forces to further expand local energy production and supply the population in the city and canton of Zurich with even more renewable energy.” Winterthur city councillor Stefan Fritschi adds: “With wind projects in the canton of Zurich, we are jointly making a valuable contribution to renewable electricity production and to our climate and energy policy goals.” Zurich Wind, the Zurich cooperation for the use of Zurich wind energy, is intended to ensure the development, but also the financing, construction and operation of wind power plants in the canton of Zurich. Wind projects are not welcomed everywhere by the population. According to Urs Rengel, CEO EKZ, the partners are aware of this: “Zürich Wind relies on dialogue and will only realise wind projects with the support of the local population.” With Zürich Wind, the three partners want to send a clear signal for a renewable power supply in the canton of Zurich.

    On 7 October 2022, the canton of Zurich presented its plans for the evaluation of wind energy areas in the cantonal structure plan. Wind power plants are also to contribute to the future supply of electricity with renewable energies in the canton of Zurich. Security of supply is becoming increasingly important and solutions must be found in particular to meet the demand for electricity in winter. Wind turbines are particularly suitable for contributing to security of supply, as electricity production is mainly in winter due to wind conditions, when production from photovoltaic plants is low due to a lack of optimal solar radiation in the midlands.

    Wind potential in the Canton of Zurich
    On behalf of the federal government, the Canton of Zurich’s Department of Construction prepared a basic report on wind energy regarding the situation in the Canton of Zurich and published it last autumn. The report shows that it is also possible to use wind energy in the canton of Zurich. Around 50 areas are defined as potential areas. Whether the realisation of wind power plants is feasible in these areas and whether the wind yield is economical has to be clarified in specific projects. The canton’s goal is to complete the guideline planning with the determination of locations by the end of 2025.

    Source www.ewz.ch

  • 4000 scenarios for the climate change

    4000 scenarios for the climate change

    Mankind currently emits 42 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. According to calculations by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), only around 300 to 600 billion tonnes may be added since 2020, otherwise the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius will hardly be achievable. Evangelos Panos from the PSI’s Laboratory for Energy System Analysis agrees with this conclusion: “It could be close, because in 70 per cent of our scenarios the world will exceed the 1.5 degree Celsius mark in the next five years.”

    Which climate measures have the greatest success?
    Against the backdrop of climate change, numerous political, economic and social decisions have to be made. However, these are subject to numerous uncertainties. It is understandable that those responsible are looking for reliable bases for one of the central questions, for example: Which measures have the greatest effect and are also economically advantageous in order to achieve the net zero emissions target, as Switzerland has set itself, for example? Answers are now provided by a large computer simulation that was developed on this topic. It couples climate models with economic models and 1200 technologies for the provision and use of energy and for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the study, a supercomputer calculated 4000 scenarios for 15 regions of the Earth, taking into account possible developments in ten-year steps up to the year 2100 in each case. “This requires sophisticated data analysis and visualisation techniques,” adds co-author James Glynn, head of the analysis platform for modelling energy systems at Columbia University in the USA. The final file is 700 gigabytes. The research article on it has now been published in the trade medium Energy Policy.

    What makes the work of Evangelos Panos and the co-authors so special: For the first time, their integrated assessment models take into account many of the uncertainties inherent in the models. Previous scenarios usually assume that all parameters for the future are known, such as when which technologies will be available and what they will cost, or how large the expansion potential for renewable energies is. Moreover, IPCC calculations focus solely on technology options, i.e. on the question of what effects the choice of certain technologies will have on the climate. The uncertainties in climate models and how the climate reacts to economic growth are left out of the equation, as are many other uncertainties, for example regarding population development or political measures. “The most important contribution of our research is that it enables policy makers to make concrete decisions about climate action with full knowledge of the existing uncertainties,” emphasises co-author Brian Ó Gallachóir from University College Cork.

    18 uncertainty factors and 72 000 variables
    When researchers want to calculate scenarios that contain many variables and uncertainties, they often resort to the so-called Monte Carlo method. The Monte Carlo method does not predict the future. “Rather, it lays out a kind of data map with what-if decision paths,” says Evangelos Panos. This was also the case in the current study: the team varied 72 000 variables for each scenario. “We considered 18 uncertainty factors, including population and economic growth, climate sensitivity, resource potential, the impact of changes in agriculture and forestry, the cost of energy technologies and the decoupling of energy demand and economic development,” explains James Glynn of Columbia University.

    Sound basis for national paths to energy transition
    In order to break down individual scenarios focusing on political and economic issues to the different national paths to energy transition, additional, national-specific parameters must be taken into account. “An energy system that enables the transition to a carbon-free economy is capital intensive and requires the mobilisation of resources from all actors,” Panos sums up. This requires tailor-made analyses at the national level: “Our study provides a sound basis for this.”

  • “Charter for Circular Building” twelve big ones make headway

    “Charter for Circular Building” twelve big ones make headway

    Despite great progress in recent years: Too many valuable, non-renewable raw materials are still irretrievably lost during construction. And the net zero target is still a long way off. The construction and operation of buildings and infrastructures are responsible for about 50 percent of the raw material demand, one third of the CO2 emissions and over 80 percent of the waste produced in Switzerland. If the construction industry is to become more sustainable and fit for the future, the consumption of non-renewable raw materials in construction must decrease and grey greenhouse gas emissions must fall.

    Against this background, twelve of the largest public and private construction clients in Switzerland are setting out on the path towards a circular economy. Together, they are responsible for around CHF 4 billion of building construction investments per year. By signing the “Charter for Circular Construction”, they have committed themselves to a joint ambition to reduce the use of non-renewable primary raw materials to 50 percent of the total mass by 2030, to record and greatly reduce grey greenhouse gas emissions, and to measure and greatly improve the circularity of renovations and new buildings.

    In the construction and maintenance of their properties, innovative solutions are to be developed to achieve these goals: refurbish instead of building new, build for the long term, reduce material use, reuse. The participating companies confirmed this today by signing the charter in NEST, Empa/Eawag’s modular research and innovation building in Dübendorf. They are determined to take decisive steps forward in the circular economy in the Swiss construction industry. They want to learn together and invite other building owners to join the charter.

    With the Charter, a number of the most important Swiss construction clients have committed themselves to the circular economy. The Charter is open to other partners. The charter partners want to pool their knowledge and experience in order to promote the development of the circular economy in the Swiss construction industry, in the awareness of their great responsibility for sustainable, climate-friendly construction in Switzerland.

    The focus is on voluntary cooperation and networking driven by a pioneering spirit, and on joint learning with the aim of triggering concrete steps towards circular construction.

    The common ambition is to reduce the use of non-renewable primary raw materials to 50 percent of the total mass by 2030, to record and strongly reduce the emission of indirect greenhouse gas emissions, and to record and strongly improve the circularity of renovations and new buildings. The first signatories of the charter are: Allreal; AXA Investment Managers Schweiz AG, Baudirektion Kanton Zürich, Bundesamt für Bauten und Logistik BBL, Empa, Hochbaudepartement Stadt Zürich, Post Immobilien Management und Services AG, Swiss Prime Site, Swiss Life Asset Management AG, UBS Fund Management (Switzerland) AG, Zug Estates and Zurich Invest AG.

  • Alpine solar plant planned at the Madrisa mountain railway

    Alpine solar plant planned at the Madrisa mountain railway

    The planned Madrisasolar alpine solar plant would be located at around 2000 metres above sea level and would cover an area of around 150,000 square metres when completed. The approximately 30,000 modules would all face south and, with a production capacity of 12 MW, would deliver an average annual output of probably over 17 GWh. This amount of electricity could supply around 3,500 households.

    The yield of solar electricity, especially in the important winter months, is particularly high at this location. And the electricity is produced where it is partly needed. The consumption and production profiles of the mountain railway and Madrisasolar are an ideal match, so that the Madrisa mountain railway could be powered entirely by solar electricity. The production of locally generated, renewable energy is an important issue for Klosters-Madrisa Bergbahnen AG and Madrisasolar would be a big step towards more sustainability on the mountain. In addition, the plant would also cover local and regional needs.

    Area with existing infrastructure and use
    Madrisasolar would be located in an area with existing infrastructure and use. An environmental impact assessment is currently being carried out. The landowner of the site is the political municipality of Klosters; the right of use currently lies with the alpine cooperative. The owner and operator of Madrisasolar would be the Graubünden energy provider Repower AG, while Fanzun AG would be responsible for the technical project management. The participation of the municipality and the further framework conditions are currently still being examined and worked out.

    The Klosters municipal council and Klosters-Madrisa Bergbahnen AG support the project. All parties involved consider the addition of production facilities for renewable energies to be imperative and judge the planned location to be possible and well compatible from an environmental, landscape and tourism point of view. In the light of the Energy City label, a corresponding production plant also fits in perfectly with the energy strategy of the municipality of Klosters. There are still a number of political and technical hurdles to overcome before the licensing procedure can be initiated. In addition to the municipal parliament and the electorate, the civic assembly is also responsible for the progress of this large-scale plant. A public information event on the project is planned for August 2023. The vote is planned for 22 October 2023.

  • The Swiss are in favour of the rapid expansion of renewable energies

    The Swiss are in favour of the rapid expansion of renewable energies

    “Electricity and heat from domestic and sustainable sources is increasingly important to Swiss people,” says Patrick Drack, Managing Director of STIEBEL ELTRON Switzerland. “Our survey shows that even if wind turbines and solar collectors may detract from the landscape, a very clear majority of 79 percent accepts their operation.”

    The opportunities of the energy turnaround
    From the point of view of the population, the energy turnaround offers a wide range of opportunities – especially with regard to the aspect of economic efficiency: sustainable technologies are growth markets of the future according to the Swiss (82 percent). The country can become more competitive as a result, think 76 percent. In their own homes, 85 percent are convinced that switching to modern heating technology can maintain or increase the value of the property. “The heat pump is clearly the heating technology of the future,” says Drack. “The switch to renewables in private households is an important contribution to the energy transition.”

    Thepopulation wants information
    According to the survey, about two-thirds of the Swiss would like to switch to such an environmentally friendly heating system in order to protect the climate and become less dependent on imported energy. To support this, however, the population would like to see more accessible information on how to approach the energy transition. In concrete terms, this also refers to the rather complicated applications for federal and cantonal subsidies. “The building programme is intended to provide financial support for private households to switch to climate-friendly heating technology,” Drack explains. “Energy advice is extremely helpful in this regard.”

  • Use of stationary hydrogen fuel cells to support the energy transition

    Use of stationary hydrogen fuel cells to support the energy transition

    Hydropower, photovoltaics and wind power are the mainstays of a renewable and ecologically sustainable energy infrastructure in Switzerland. However, the increased integration of solar energy and wind power into the electricity grid poses certain risks, as these energy sources are volatile in nature and thus pose a potential threat to the grid balance.

    The use of hydrogen offers a way to compensate for such energy fluctuations. Surplus, unpredictable solar and wind energy is not fed directly into the grid, but used to produce hydrogen by means of electrolysis. In times of energy shortage, for example caused by no wind and very cloudy weather in winter, the stored hydrogen can be used as an energy source.

    Since 2020, the Hälg Group has been working on the topic of “stationary hydrogen fuel cells in buildings”. In this context, a project team of three partner companies was formed: Osterwalder AG in St. Gallen is responsible for the production of green hydrogen through hydropower and its transport, H2Energy acts as a technology and production partner in the field of fuel cells, while the Hälg Group, as a provider of integral building technology and energy systems, is responsible for the planning, implementation and support of the entire building technology building. The vision of this project team is to create ideal energy networks in which environmentally friendly hydrogen as an energy storage medium fills the gaps left by other renewable energies.

    Stationary hydrogen fuel cell: a promising approach for a green energy economy
    The basis of the hydrogen fuel cell system has existed for almost two centuries. The increased use of hydrogen as an energy medium and substitute for fossil energy sources has led to significant further development of fuel cell technology in the recent past. The production method of hydrogen is essential for the ecological compatibility of this process. So-called “grey” hydrogen is produced by decomposing fossil fuels. Green” hydrogen, on the other hand, is produced by electrolysis of water using environmentally friendly energy sources such as hydropower, solar energy and wind power.

    By using only “green” hydrogen in the project group’s ecosystem, the stationary fuel cell generates electricity and heat in an environmentally friendly way. Hydrogen and oxygen are combined in the fuel cell. By applying electrical voltage between an anode and a cathode, the two elements react and combine to form water vapour. In the course of this, electrical energy and heat are also generated, which can be used directly to supply buildings and areas. The water produced in the process is reused.

    The hydrogen fuel cell is characterised by its environmental friendliness precisely because no pollutant emissions are produced or released in the course of the chemical reaction. Only pure, low-energy and harmless water vapour escapes as “waste gas”. Consequently, the function of the hydrogen fuel cell is considered to be completely emission-free.

    Advantages of the hydrogen fuel cell building technology solution

    • Maximises the value of the property and increases its attractiveness
    • Enhances the reputation of the facility owner and makes a progressive responsible statement on environmental protection, climate change and green transformation.
    • Emergency power supply in the building: partial or full self-sufficiency possible
    • Reduction of power and connection costs
    • Low maintenance costs due to non-moving parts
    • Modular design: from 80 kWel / 78 kWth, scalable as required.
    • Reduction of winter electricity demand, grid load, winter electricity gaps
    • Assistance in decarbonisation, environmental protection and reduction of greenhouse gases
    • Peak shaving of the electrical grid

    Ideal energy network
    It is important that energy producers and consumers have access to a wide range of environmentally friendly technologies. In addition to hydrogen fuel cells, these include heat pumps, chillers, solar thermal, wind energy and photovoltaics, as well as battery short-term storage and bidirectional e-vehicles. Further information at https://haelg.ch/stationaere-wasserstoff-brennstoffzelle/

  • “NEST provides the ideal environment to further develop our innovation”

    “NEST provides the ideal environment to further develop our innovation”

    Buildings are responsible for more than 40 per cent of global energy consumption. A large part of this is used to ensure user comfort – i.e. for heating and cooling. Especially in view of the current developments in the energy market, the big question is how we can cover our energy consumption in the future. Ways must be found to tap new energy sources and at the same time reduce the energy consumption of buildings. One of these could be the better use of façade surfaces.

    This certainly holds potential, since the majority of the building façade is still unused and at the same time the central factor for either letting energy into the building or keeping it inside. Researchers at ETH Zurich have therefore developed an innovation as part of the NEST HiLo unit that can exploit this potential: an adaptive solar façade that not only optimises electricity production, but also reduces energy loss at the same time. Attached to the actual façade, this forms a kind of second skin for the building. The innovation thus also bears the appropriate name “Solskin”.

    Simple architectural embedding
    “We wanted to develop a façade that could be very easily installed on a building and optimally integrated into the architecture,” Bratislav Svetozarevic explains the idea behind the innovation. He was significantly involved in the development of “Solskin” from the beginning, first in 2014 as a PhD student in Arno Schlüter’s “Architecture and Building Systems” group at ETH Zurich and from 2018 as a Post Doc at ETH and Empa, where he researched related topics.

    “Solskin” consists of a lightweight substructure that is attached to the façade. Mounted on it are small square thin-film solar panels that can be colour-matched to the existing building envelope. In this way, the solar façade blends in perfectly with the overall appearance of the building. At the same time, the panels can be turned individually in all directions. This is because behind each module there is a control unit that Svetozarevic and his colleagues have developed over the years. The special thing about it is that the panels are aligned using air pressure. The materials used are both robust and flexible so that the system can withstand strong gusts of wind and precipitation.

    Reality check
    The idea behind the flexible alignment is that the solar façade can follow the position of the sun, thereby optimising electricity production. At the same time, “Solskin” also serves to actively shade the building in summer, thus reducing the need for cooling, or to open the panels and let the sun’s rays into the interior, thus saving heating energy in winter.

    The first prototype tests at ETH Zurich have convinced the researchers of the innovation’s applicability. But would the innovative façade also work on a real building? To find the answer to this question, “Solskin” was attached to the façade of the HiLo unit. “HiLo offered us the opportunity to install and test our system on a busy building for the first time. This enabled us to record the usage and acceptance of the users,” explains Svetozarevic. An important factor, because in addition to the actual system, the researchers also developed an algorithm that records the needs of the people working in the HiLo unit and can thus improve user comfort in addition to optimising production. This is now being further developed with the help of data from operation at NEST.

    A bright future
    The results of the prototypes and the pilot project at NEST point in a clear direction: energy can be saved with “Solskin” – and saved enormously. While solar production can be increased by up to 40 per cent compared to conventional solutions, savings of up to 80 per cent are possible in heating and cooling energy compared to a conventional, non-adaptable shading system. “We are pleased that we were able to show at NEST that our system works and what potential it has,” says Svetozarevic, beaming. Various expert juries were also convinced of this potential and awarded “Solksin”. Among the awards is the renowned Watt d’Or, which is awarded annually by the Federal Office of Energy.

    The next step is now commercialisation. To this end, Bratislav Svetozarevic and his team founded the spin-off “Zurich Soft Robotics” in 2022 and have already landed a major contract. The company KELLER Druckmesstechnik AG in Winterthur wants to attach “Solskin” to its new production building – on a total area of 1,300m2.

    In addition to its use on new buildings, however, the innovation is also ideal for upgrading older buildings. Solskin” thus has great potential to optimise the energy efficiency of the entire building stock and thus provide an answer to the question of how we can continue to generate enough energy to operate our buildings in the future.

  • Challenges are the mother of invention

    Challenges are the mother of invention

    Representative façade made of used materials
    The task: Simple, used everyday materials and components are to be used for the façade of a prominent administrative building at Zurich’s main railway station. At the same time, the client, who was actually represented at the workshop, wanted to use the replacement of the façade to give the property a representative expression.

    The students are to create a design for the façade in small groups from the used material provided. They are to discuss and develop urban planning, constructive and atmospheric aspects. And finally, they are to build a section of the façade in original size. The students are supported and guided by ZHAW lecturers and international experts.

    The materials store contains various used or leftover components. Each group is given a different material as a starting point for their design idea: mirrors, steel grids, grass pavers, roof tiles, profiled sheets or glass-fibre reinforced plastic.

    Creative solutions
    The challenging task of giving the property an attractive and representative design expression with simple, used everyday materials leads to surprising results: The students reinterpret lawn paving stones into artistic stylistic elements.

    Turf stones are reused and transformed into artistic stylistic elements.

    They backlight plastic panels that simultaneously create a thermal buffer. They arrange roof tiles with varying reliefs and finishes to create animated surfaces.

    Backlit plastic panels create a thermally insulating buffer layer.

    In order to breathe homeliness into the sober administrative building, a group of students combines French balconies with galvanised stair treads, which also provide support for a green façade.

    Roof tiles with varying reliefs and paintwork become animated surfaces.

    Another group uses mirrors from the recently demolished Winterthur Cantonal Hospital as slanted window reveals, giving the façade a surreal, playful appearance.

    French balconies with galvanised stair treads provide cosiness and offer support for a green façade.

    Appreciation for the existing building stock
    The search for qualities in the seemingly worthless changes the students’ view of the existing building stock. Some students take the assignment so seriously that they question it: Is a replacement of the existing façade elements, as it is envisaged in reality, necessary at all? Can it be possible to preserve the existing façade and retrofit it for the new use? In their project, a group of students proposes to renovate the existing façade and to leave the scaffolding required for this on the building later – in order to create new living spaces in the outdoor area.

    Mirrors as diagonally inserted window reveals give the façade a surreal, playful appearance.

    Along the way, a realisation also grows during the workshop week. The architecture of reuse can indeed produce a variety of architectural attitudes and forms of expression – but they are all based on a common foundation: the respectful and careful treatment of existing buildings.

    The existing façade is to be renovated. The scaffolding used for this purpose will remain on the building after the renovation and create new living spaces in the exterior.
  • Plant-based insulation as a CO2 sink?

    Plant-based insulation as a CO2 sink?

    The building sector is responsible for 40% of global energy consumption, 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and 36% of waste in the EU. Energy efficiency measures have reduced emissions in operations. Material production remains an underestimated source. “Grey” emissions from modern buildings are comparable to operational emissions. Building materials that sequester CO2 over the long term reduce the ecological footprint.

    How CO2 can be sequestered in the long term
    Empa is developing new insulation materials for buildings that can sequester CO2 in the long term. Plant waste products from agriculture and forestry are processed into insulating materials and fixed during a heat treatment. This “plant carbon” remains fixed during the life of the building and can be directly introduced into fields when the building is deconstructed, where it increases the fertility of the soil and remains stable. This is in contrast to other building materials, such as wood or cellulose insulation, which release the stored CO2 when they rot or are thermally recycled.

    Physicist Wernery from Empa is conducting research with his group and the ZHAW on insulating materials made from plant carbon. The insulation material must be thermally insulating, fireproof and suitable for later use as fertiliser. Plant carbon insulation could improve Switzerland’s CO2 balance by a good 1% by replacing insulating materials such as EPS or mineral wool with plant carbon. This would save half a million tonnes of CO2 equivalents annually by avoiding emissions from the production of conventional insulation materials and by storing CO2 in the plant carbon over the long term.

    Financial support – from several sources
    Wernery receives financial support for his promising concept from funding institutions such as the Minerva Foundation, the ETH Board and the Swiss Federal Office of Energy. The climate fund from the Winterthur municipal utility has made a contribution to the development of the basic principles, which comes from voluntary contributions from customers who purchased two centimes per kilowatt hour of electricity.

  • ETH Zurich and EPFL launch green energy coalition

    ETH Zurich and EPFL launch green energy coalition

    Switzerland is facing a combined energy and climate crisis. In order to achieve the set net-zero target by 2050 and at the same time avoid an energy gap, the country is dependent on renewable energy sources, seasonal storage options and an efficient connection to the European electricity market. In addition to pumped storage power plants, batteries or heat storage, synthetic fuels and gases such as hydrogen in particular offer an interesting way to store, transport and trade cheap electricity from photovoltaic plants in the summer for the winter. There are numerous promising technologies that are currently under development but not yet fully operational. This is where the “Coalition for Green Energy and Storage” comes in, which was publicly presented on 8 June at the Swiss Economic Forum in Interlaken.

    “With the coalition, we want to quickly bring existing technologies for CO2 capture and for the production and storage of carbon neutral gases and fuels to market maturity and raise them to an industrial level,” ETH President Joël Mesot explains the plan. The goal is to enable a scalable, climate-neutral and flexible energy system within a reasonable period of time.

    Wanted: partners from politics, industry and science
    Achieving this goal will require a joint effort by science, politics and industry. “The two Federal Institutes of Technology alone have 150 research groups in the field of energy, as well as around 460 researchers and four successful spin-offs in the field of CO2 capture and energy storage. Together with other research groups from PSI and Empa, the ETH Domain has both the know-how and the size to respond to current challenges together with companies,” says EPFL President Martin Vetterli. Now the two universities are looking for technology and implementation partners, as well as donors and supporters from politics and society.

    Around 20 companies and organisations have already expressed their interest in working together: Alpiq, AMAG, BKW Energie, SBB / CFF, Carvolution AG, Cemsuisse, Emil Frey Group, Edelweiss, FIR Group AG, Gaznat, Genève aéroport, GE Vernova, Gruyère Hydrogen Power SA, Implenia, MAN Energy Systems, Migros Industry, Romande Energie, Rolex, Swissmem, SWISS International Air Lines, VBSA, Viteos SA, Verband der Schweizerischen Gasindustrie / Association Suisse de l’Industrie Gazière.

    With the airline Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and the energy service provider Alpiq – who were present at the SEF alongside the two presidents – two heavyweights of the Swiss economy have been on board from the start. “We are proud to be part of this energy coalition. Together, we are driving forward the production of synthetic fuels, which are one of the biggest levers for us to fly ever more sustainably in the future. At the same time, new possibilities for energy storage are being created, which increases Switzerland’s security of supply and serves society as a whole,” says Swiss CEO Dieter Vranckx. The airline needs economic solutions quickly in order to achieve its own climate goals. Synthetic fuels play an important role in this. Alpiq, for its part, has a broad portfolio of hydropower and storage plants in Switzerland and is one of the pioneers in Switzerland with the production of green hydrogen in Gösgen. With numerous projects for the addition and expansion of renewable energies and various storage technologies in Switzerland and neighbouring countries, Alpiq can make a significant contribution: “With a broad coalition of business, science and society, we can achieve the set net-zero target and a sustainable energy supply at the same time. In this way we can strengthen Switzerland as a business and science location,” says Alpiq CEO Antje Kanngiesser, explaining her company’s clear commitment. The well-known philanthropist Hansjörg Wyss has also already pledged his support to the coalition.

    Planned: Research platforms in the megawatt range
    With new technical solutions, the coalition wants to create additional opportunities to exploit the seasonal differences in electricity production by means of energy storage in Switzerland and Europe. This will improve Switzerland’s security of supply and diversify energy trade with European and international partners, creating new business areas and opportunities for technology start-ups and Swiss industry. The technical options will be analysed systemically in order to find and implement the best possible solutions in terms of supply security and costs.

    The coalition will be formally established by the end of 2023 in order to launch the first projects in early 2024. Demonstrators in the megawatt range will be built on the basis of existing technologies, which should be productive from 2028 and will serve as research platforms. A budget of around CHF 100 million is needed for this project in the first phase.

  • City council plans reorganisation of heat supply

    City council plans reorganisation of heat supply

    So far, there are three municipal providers of heating networks on city territory: Elektrizitätswerk ewz, Entsorgung + Recycling Zürich (ERZ) and Energie 360° AG. All large-scale heating networks are now to be united under the umbrella of ewz. Through their joint efforts to achieve the city’s net zero targets, the three providers of district heating networks have intensified their cooperation in recent years. Then, about two years ago, the city council formalised this cooperation by establishing the Wärme Zürich office. Since then, Wärme Zürich has been coordinating the expansion of the networks of the three providers. Currently, it is being examined whether the existing heating networks can also be physically connected to each other, so that an overall network is gradually created on city territory, which further increases the security of supply. The planned reorganisation takes these changes into account and represents the next integration stage in the area of heat supply.

    Implementation plan in progress
    A project headed by City Council members Michael Baumer (Head of the Department of Industrial Operations), Simone Brander (Head of the Department of Civil Engineering and Waste Disposal) and Andreas Hauri (Head of the Department of Health and Environment) will show in an implementation plan by the end of the year how and in what timeframe such a reorganisation can take place. The consultation with the staff associations will also take place during this period.

    Integration of ERZ’s district heating activities
    ERZ’s district heating activities will be integrated into ewz. The implementation plan will show how the integration of the district heating activities is to be structured and how and when the employees concerned are to transfer from ERZ to ewz. The experts from ERZ will play a decisive role in shaping the new organisation with their knowledge and many years of experience in the heating sector.

    New prospects for Energie 360°
    Energie 360° will also transfer part of its heating networks in the city of Zurich to ewz, with the employees remaining with Energie 360°. Ownership and operation of the gas grid and all other activities will remain with Energie 360°. Energie 360° is a joint-stock company owned by the public sector. The main owner is the city of Zurich. The company’s strategy of driving forward the transformation throughout Switzerland and supplying exclusively renewable energy by 2040 will be maintained. As the focus of Energie 360°’s activities will shift even more to activities outside the city in the future, the city council wants to offer the company new perspectives and open up the field for cooperation. In order to gain more freedom of action, the city council’s authority to sell shares in this company is to be extended.

  • National Council wants more photovoltaic systems on condominiums

    National Council wants more photovoltaic systems on condominiums

    On Wednesday, it adopted a motion by Ticino SP National Councillor Bruno Storni with this demand. Storni also wants to make it easier to carry out energy-efficient renovations and install electric car charging stations in condominium buildings.

    To this end, the Federal Council should adjust the necessary quorums in the condominium law when passing resolutions on such projects. In order to achieve the goals of the federal government’s Energy Strategy 2050, it is important that the energy efficiency of condominium buildings increases, says Storni.

    With 119 votes in favour, 66 against and 6 abstentions, the large chamber accepted Storni’s proposal. It will now go to the competent committee of the Council of States for consideration.

    The Federal Council rejected the motion. The current law contains a differentiated and balanced regulation of the decision-making of condominium owners’ associations. It should be left to the condominium owners, within the framework of their private autonomy, to decide on renovation and conversion projects by means of the proven rules of decision-making.

  • ESG platform for efficient management of sustainability data

    ESG platform for efficient management of sustainability data

    Die Arealentwicklung «Pra Roman» der Genossenschaft Codha und des Vereins «Sur le Pra» hat den Binding Preis für Biodiversität 2023 gewonnen, weil die Überbauung die ökologischen wie sozialen Vernetzungsfunktionen für das Quartier und die Stadt äusserst vorbildhaft übernimmt und das Projekt von Anfang an partizipativ angegangen wurde. Der Preis 2023 war zum Jahresthema «wegweisende Arealentwicklungen» ausgeschrieben worden.

    Die Formulierung von Absenkungszielen und die nachvollziehbare Berichterstattung über deren Erreichung wird von Investoren und Politik gefordert. Wincasa begleitet seine Kundinnen und Kunden proaktiv auf dem Weg hin zu Netto-Null. Als Immobiliendienstleister verfügt Wincasa über viele Daten aus dem Betrieb von Immobilien und dank einem dedizierten Team über sehr viel Know-how im Bereich Nachhaltigkeit. Die Quantifizierung und das Reporting von Nachhaltigkeitsthemen ist aufgrund der Vielzahl an unterschiedlichen Datenquellen komplex. Eine weitere grosse Herausforderung ist zudem die Qualität der Daten und der manuelle Aufwand, der zu ihrer Überprüfung und Verbesserung erforderlich ist. Zudem existieren verschiedene ESG-Frameworks und Berichtstandards, wie z.B. die Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), deren Messkriterien und Anforderungen sich voneinander unterscheiden. Diese Herausforderungen machen es für die Kundinnen und Kunden von Wincasa schwierig, die gestiegenen Anforderungen an die Nachhaltigkeit und deren transparente Berichterstattung zu erfüllen.

    Integrierte Aufbereitung von ESG-Daten
    Als führender Schweizer Immobiliendienstleister möchte Wincasa gemeinsam mit dem Data Science PropTech-Unternehmen Novalytica Nachhaltigkeits-Reportings einfacher und transparenter machen – so die Vision. Zu diesem Zweck wurde eine Plattform zum Management von ESG-Daten entwickelt. Mit dieser wird unter anderem die Erstellung eines GRESB-Reportings deutlich erleichtert. Dr. Niklas Naehrig, Leiter Strategie & Nachhaltigkeit Wincasa sagt dazu: «Unsere Plattform erlaubt es, unterschiedlichste Datenquellen zu integrieren und Daten nach internationalen Reporting-Standards auszuwerten. Neben der Nutzung von Datenquellen aus der Bewirtschaftung ermöglicht die ESG-Plattform auch die Einbindung von öffentlich verfügbaren Daten und die automatisierte Prüfung der Datenqualität mit einer smarten Verbindung aus künstlicher und menschlicher Intelligenz.»

    Automatisierte Prüfung der Datenqualität
    Derzeit wird die von Wincasa und Novalytica entwickelte Lösung als Pilotprojekt im Portfolio eines namhaften Schweizer Immobilieneigentümers erprobt. Für den Eigentümer ist Nachhaltigkeit ein bedeutender Bestandteil der Unternehmensstrategie. Der Einsatz der Plattform wird den Aufwand zur Erhebung und Auswertung der Nachhaltigkeitsdaten für die verschiedenen Benchmarks und Standards beträchtlich verringern und die Datenqualität signifikant erhöhen. Zugleich ermöglicht die Plattform detailliertere Einblicke in das Nachhaltigkeits-Potenzial des Portfolios.

    Quelle www.wincasa.ch

  • Using climate simulation to combat heat islands

    Using climate simulation to combat heat islands

    The heating of asphalted city centres – so-called heat islands – is a well-known problem in urban development. However, it can be noticeably improved with smart measures. This is demonstrated by the city of Winterthur in cooperation with the spatial planning office Berchtoldkrass Space & Options and the office GEO-NET Umweltconsulting GmbH, which specialises in climate analyses, by means of a computer-assisted climate modelling for the Lokstadt. The current planning status was compared with two climate-optimised scenarios. Thanks to the simulation, it is possible to see how the design of the buildings and open spaces affect the outside temperatures and thus influence the quality of stay in the area. At the same time, it was tested which measures are particularly feasible and effective. The pilot study is part of the Smart City Winterthur programme and was made possible by its innovation loan. It was commissioned by the Office of Urban Development.

    Numerous residential units and workplaces will be built on the Lokstadt planning perimeter. In order for the neighbourhood to have a high quality of life later on, planning based on climate aspects makes sense. A climate-adapted and thus heat-tolerant design is possible despite dense construction: bioclimatically effective compensatory measures in Lokstadt include trees, unsealed, light-coloured and greened surfaces and shaded areas. Large green roofs – ideally in combination with shady photovoltaic systems – have a positive effect on the urban climate. In addition to façade greening, water areas and drinking fountains improve the quality of stay.

    The evaluation shows: The Lokstadt was already well positioned in terms of urban climate in the original planning in the design of the public space. In order to further optimise the climate, additional tree locations as well as light-coloured, infiltration-capable surfaces are being examined. The technology offers all the prerequisites for optimising the urban design of the future in terms of climate.

  • Binding Prize for Biodiversity 2023 awarded to eco-neighbourhood in Lausanne

    Binding Prize for Biodiversity 2023 awarded to eco-neighbourhood in Lausanne

    The “Pra Roman” site development by the Codha cooperative and the “Sur le Pra” association won the Binding Prize for Biodiversity 2023 because the development takes on the ecological and social networking functions for the neighbourhood and the city in an extremely exemplary manner and the project was approached in a participatory manner from the very beginning. The 2023 prize was announced as part of the annual theme “groundbreaking site developments”.

    Ecologically networked living spaces
    The “Pra Roman” housing estate with twelve apartment buildings on an area of 22,000 square metres is located on the outskirts of Lausanne. The surrounding area was integrated into the planning and construction of the 2020 development in an exemplary manner. For example, the award-winner created alternating humid wildlife corridors with integrated small structures for amphibians and small mammals and to promote wild plants. This awareness of taking responsibility for ecological connectivity in a larger system is central to the promotion of biodiversity in the settlement area.

    Involving residents in planning
    Raising residents’ awareness of biodiversity promotion was an important part of the “Pra Roman” project from the very beginning. Codha, the developer and cooperative for non-profit housing, initiated the association “Sur le Pra” at the beginning of the planning phase and developed a participatory process. Future residents met early on for site tours or nature observations and, with a high degree of design freedom, designed their near-natural outdoor spaces in workshops, which they later realised independently. The building owner supported them financially.

    Vegetable garden enables encounter and sensitisation
    One of these green spaces is the community vegetable garden. Here people exchange ideas and get to know nature as a basis for life. The culture of sustainable living and land use runs like a thread through the entire “Pra Roman” project. The surrounding ecosystems are observed, imitated in their diversity and connected with the settlement area.

    “We are convinced that this excellent example will encourage other real estate developers to think about biodiversity at an early stage and involve many people,” says Peter Lehmann, vice president of the jury for the award.

    Recognition prize goes to the Areal Bach project in St. Gallen
    In addition to the main prize, the Foundation also awards a recognition prize of 25,000 Swiss francs for smaller sites. The Areal Bach, an interim use near the St.Fiden railway station in St.Gallen, receives this prize because it impressively demonstrates the potential of the many fallow areas in the cities. With its perseverance and commitment, the Areal Bach association overcame resistance, seized the opportunity and, together with the population, ecologically upgraded the areas and revitalised them with creative ideas. It has managed to get many stakeholders on board to realise a jointly supported, multifaceted project. A temporary green oasis was created from a non-place, which can lay the foundations for biodiversity and quality of stay for the planning of a future area development.

  • Compulsory solar on buildings rejected by Energy Commission

    Compulsory solar on buildings rejected by Energy Commission

    In intensive discussions, the Energy Commission of the Council of States dealt with the differences regarding the Federal Act on a Secure Electricity Supply with Renewable Energies (21.047). It introduced new proposals on numerous points in order to find an appropriate balance between protection and use interests and thus create a broadly supported bill. By 8 votes to 5, the Commission proposes the deletion of the article on the suspension of residual flow regulations for existing hydropower plants, as decided by the National Council. It emphasises that the proposed provision is constitutionally questionable. Moreover, there would be enough time to find a balanced solution to the problem of impending production losses at existing hydropower plants. A minority would like to follow the National Council’s lead, since without the full preservation of existing electricity production from hydropower, the targeted expansion of renewable energies could not be achieved.

    The Commission is also in favour of identifying suitable areas for the use of solar and wind energy in the cantonal structure plans. Conservation interests should also be taken into account in this planning. In the defined areas, the need for facilities for the use of renewable energies should be identified and the facilities should be site-specific. In addition, they are to take precedence over other national interests in a balancing of interests. The condition for this is that the installations are not realised in inventory objects according to Art. 5 NHG. In addition, the “Chlus” project should benefit from the same facilitations as the 15 selected projects for storage hydropower. A minority rejects this amendment.

    NATIONAL INTEREST IN FACILITIES FOR THE USE OF RENEWABLE ENERG IES
    The Commission also dealt with the framework conditions for facilities for the use of renewable energies in the national interest. As decided by the National Council, these should continue to be excluded in biotopes of national importance as well as in waterbird and migratory bird reserves, but in newly emerging glacier forelands and alpine alluvial plains they should in principle be eligible. This exclusion should not apply to hydropower plants that serve ecological restoration. In addition, it should now be possible for the residual flow to run through these protected areas during the construction of hydropower plants; a minority wants to adhere to the National Council’s decision here. By 9 votes to 3, the Commission would like to maintain that electrolysers and methanisation plants above a certain size and importance should also be considered of national interest in terms of nature and cultural heritage protection (NHG).

    COMPULSORYUSE OF SOLAR ENERGY
    The Commission rejects the National Council’s decision to make solarenergy compulsory for all new buildings as well as significant conversion and renovation projects as too strong an encroachment on private property and the sovereignty of the cantons. Instead, it proposes by 6 votes to 4 with 2 abstentions that the mandatory use of solar energy on buildings with an area of 300 m2 or more, as decided by the “Federal Act on Urgent Measures for the Short-Term Provision of a Secure Electricity Supply in Winter” (21.501, draft 4), be transferred into the applicable law for an unlimited period. A minority calls for a solar obligation in accordance with the National Council, but this should only apply to new buildings and roof renovations. In addition, the Commission supports, by 7 votes to 3, an obligation to roof vehicle parking spaces of a certain size with solar elements. This obligation should apply immediately to new parking spaces of 250 m2 or more, and to existing parking spaces of 500 m2 or more with a transitional period of 5 years. A minority wants to abolish this obligation completely; according to another minority, it should only apply to new parking spaces from 500 m2 and to existing parking spaces from 1000 m2.

    In the area of the promotion of renewable energies, the Commission proposes that the Federal Council be given the authority to set minimum remuneration for the return to the grid operator for installations up to 150 kW. This should also create investment security for smaller and thus more expensive plants. In return, the transitional provisions with fixed remuneration adopted by the National Council are to be deleted, as they place too great a burden on grid operators and tied electricity consumers. In addition, the UREK-S would like to retain the creation of a special incentive for winter electricity production within the framework of the sliding market premium. If the reference market price for electricity in the winter months exceeds the guaranteed remuneration, the plant operator should receive a share of between 10 and 40 % of the surplus, to be determined by the Federal Council.

    CREATION OF A MARKET FOR EFFICIENCY SERVICES
    The Commission supports the programme for the creation of a market for efficiency services adopted by the National Council by 6 votes to 5 with one abstention. This programme stipulates that the energy supply companies (EVU) must prove annually that they have provided a certain amount of measures to increase electricity efficiency for end consumers or that they have commissioned these measures from third parties, so-called efficiency service providers. Whether the target is met or not is not measured by the electricity sales of the energy supply company: the efficiency services represent a new, independent business field. The measures are also not limited to the grid area of the respective utility. This means that the most favourable measures can be taken first throughout Switzerland. A minority rejects this efficiency programme, pointing to the enforcement effort, conflicting goals of the RUs and the existing measures to increase efficiency.

    On the question of the energy reserve pursuant to Art. 8a StromVG, the Commission basically follows the decision of the National Council. Operators of storage hydropower plants should be able to be obliged to set up a reserve. However, certain framework conditions are to be changed; for example, the obligation should only be possible for operators of plants with a capacity of 10 GWh or more. In addition, the compensation for the water held in reserve should also take into account the current market situation.

    FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS FOR THE ELECTRICITY NETWORKS OF THE FUTURE
    By 11 votes to 1 with 1 abstention, the Commission is in favour of all grid reinforcements necessary for the feed-in of renewable energy being passed on to electricity consumers throughout Switzerland on a solidarity basis. For expansions at the lowest grid level, a lump sum should be paid to the grid operator without requiring approval from Elcom. Like the National Council, the Commission also proposes that the costs for the reinforcement of certain connection lines be allocated for at the national level. Lines between the boundary of the property on which a renewable energy production facility is located and the grid connection point are to benefit from this support.

    In the area of the basic supply of electricity (Art. 6 StromVG), the Commission proposes to retain the current law and thus the average price method. The amendment adopted by the National Council was not convincing. However, the Commission supports the introduction of a standard electricity product, which should be based in particular on renewable domestic energy.

    The Commission proposes to refrain from opening the market in the area of metering and thus adheres to the decision of the Council of States. However, the data collected by the grid operators should be better available. Furthermore, it follows the decision of the National Council, according to which storage facilities with end consumption should also be relieved of the grid usage fee: It should be possible to reimburse the grid fee for the electricity fed back into the grid. A minority proposes to adhere to the decisions of the Council of States. Furthermore, the use of flexibility in electricity consumption should only be possible with the express consent of the owner.

    In view of the complex differences regarding the overcoat decree (21.047), the Commission was unable to conclude the detailed discussion on the CO2 Act (22.061) in time for it to be dealt with in the summer session. It will bring this bill into the autumn session.

    The Commission met in Bern on 11/12 May 2023 under the chairmanship of Councillor of States Adèle Thorens Goumaz (G, VD) and partly in the presence of Federal Councillor Albert Rösti.

  • Recycling Centre Ostschweiz sets new standards with innovative processing plant

    Recycling Centre Ostschweiz sets new standards with innovative processing plant

    A new soil washing plant has been built at Niederstettenstrasse 28 in Niederstetten near Wil SG. With the fully automated plant, RCO now also processes contaminated construction waste and returns it to the building materials cycle as high-quality materials. RCO expects about 200,000 tonnes of processed building material per year that can be reused in this way. This means that more than 500 single-family homes could be built each year from sustainable building materials.

    Washing instead of landfilling
    The wet-mechanical processing plant replaces the dry-mechanical plant that has been in operation for about two decades. “With the soil washing plant, we can now accept and process materials that previously had to be landfilled. This includes, for example, contaminated excavated materials,” says Samuel Graf, a member of the RCO board of directors. “This not only saves valuable landfill space, but also conserves natural gravel resources.” The materials are then widely used in civil engineering, for example as sand or gravel for concrete production.

    Taking building materials recycling to the next level
    The state-of-the-art process technology sorts, classifies and doses the various material components. “In addition, pollutants and foreign substances can be removed efficiently, which ensures a significantly improved quality of the products,” explains Stefan Eberhard, Delegate of the Board of Directors. “The building materials produced in this way are of high quality and conform to standards – this is also demonstrated by our company building.” This consists to a very large extent of recycled building material and serves RCO as a showroom to visually demonstrate the many advantages of sustainable building materials to customers and the public.

    About the R CO
    The RCO was founded in 2018 by the two companies Holcim Kies und Beton AG and Zürcher Kies und Transport AG. With their joint know-how, Holcim and Zürcher are driving innovations in building materials recycling, closing material cycles even more consistently and serving the eastern Swiss market with high-quality building materials.

  • PSI researches for low-CO2 cement

    PSI researches for low-CO2 cement

    A research team wants to bring previously unknown processes in the hydration of cement to light. Through a deeper understanding, it wants to pave the way for low-carbon cements. Under the leadership of the University of Malaga, the French University Grenobles Alpes, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility(ESRF), also located in Grenoble, and the Paul Scherrer Institute are involved in the study.

    According to a PSI statement, the biggest disadvantage of the current proposals for low-carbon cements is the slow hydration kinetics in the first three days. However, it is precisely the understanding of the processes involved in cement production in the early stages that is “crucial”, explains study first author and PhD student at the University of Malaga, Shiva Shirani. “That’s why we developed a method to get a complete picture of the hydration of Portland cement.”

    To do this, the scientists combined complementary experimental approaches at the ESRF and the Swiss Synchrotron Light Source at PSI. Near-field ptychotomography revealed the hydration of commercial Portland cement, according to the release.

    “Understanding the mechanics of the slowest processes will hopefully lead to strategies to reasonably accelerate the hydration of low-carbon cements,” said co-author Professor Miguel A.G. Aranda. This could be done, for example, by using strength-increasing admixtures “to allow early removal of the formwork”.

  • Yes to preserving the climate, building culture and biodiversity

    Yes to preserving the climate, building culture and biodiversity

    Swiss Heritage Protection says “YES” to the Climate Protection Act. This is because the bill contains concrete measures that create incentives for the replacement of heating systems and the energy-efficient upgrading of buildings. The renovation of existing buildings to improve energy efficiency is promoted.

    Careful renovations as well as high-quality and resource-saving new buildings contribute to a high building culture. This is the basis for diverse public spaces, intact landscapes and a climate-neutral, liveable living space that promotes social exchange and community spirit and contributes to general well-being.

    Prioritise resource conservation
    New buildings produce more greenhouse gases during construction or demolition than during their entire useful life. This is due to the large amount of grey energy and emissions involved in extracting, transporting, demolishing and disposing of a building’s construction materials.

    Thus, it is obvious that a moderate use of material resources and a better preservation of our built heritage is the first step towards climate-friendly construction and achieving the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

  • Yes to the partial revision of the Environmental Protection Act gives additional impetus to the circular economy

    Yes to the partial revision of the Environmental Protection Act gives additional impetus to the circular economy

    Construction activity in Switzerland produces around 57 million tonnes of excavated material and 17 million tonnes of excavated material per year. The term “waste” should not be used in this context, as it tempts one to confuse the statistics with the volume of rubbish that is disposed of. Rather, this total of 74 million tonnes of material is an indication of how many tonnes of excavated and spoil material accumulates as a valuable resource, much of which can be recycled. In order to make the best possible use of this, ideal legal framework conditions are needed. Such improvements are included in the partial revision of the Environmental Protection Act, which the National Council will deal with on 3 May 2023 during the special session.

    SBC already supported the goal of creating an appropriate framework in the Environmental Protection Act for a modern and environmentally friendly circular economy during the consultation process in February 2022. The chosen regulatory approach consisting of a mixture of incentives, competences for regulation and promotion instruments seems to be purposeful. However, it is important to underline that the companies in the construction industry have long since implemented many of the main concerns of the revision on a voluntary basis. In addition, important legal foundations have already been created, such as the Ordinance on the Prevention and Disposal of Waste (VVEA). This gives high priority to the avoidance, reduction and targeted recycling of waste.

    Close coordination with the construction industry is important
    With life-cycle-optimised buildings, resources and materials can generally be kept in circulation or recycled over several object life cycles without any loss of quality or functionality. The construction industry has already developed many innovative solutions in this regard and will continue to develop them. However, the choice of materials for building projects is made by the clients, architects and planners and not by the building contractors. It is important to convince them to integrate the circular economy at a very early stage in project development. SBC therefore appeals to these stakeholder groups and to politicians to coordinate closely with builders in the implementation of the Environmental Protection Act in order to make use of the know-how of the entire construction industry and to prevent inhibiting framework conditions or false incentives. Another key issue for the SBC is the compatibility of the Swiss Environmental Protection Act with international standards and regulatory requirements. It is explicitly important to take developments in the EU into account in order to prevent a Swiss Finish and the resulting trade barriers.

    Abandonment of national limit values for grey energy
    SBC suggests that national limit values for grey energy be abandoned. In practice, the correct recording of grey energy in new buildings and renovations is tantamount to a Herculean task that is likely to fail – or worse – could deliver distorting results. The end result would be a de facto ban on certain construction methods and materials, which in turn would lead to immense increases in the cost of buildings. Instead of such limit values, which are unsuitable in practice, the tendering of buildings should always be oriented towards the required or desired function and not towards specific building materials. This is determined by the demands on the building. It is important to consider not only the conservation of resources, but also overall sustainability for the environment, the economy and society.

  • Five technologies on the way to net zero

    Five technologies on the way to net zero

    The TA-Swiss study aims to inform policy-makers and the public about the opportunities, limits and risks of different methods for CO2 extraction and storage. Aspects such as feasibility, climate effectiveness, costs, resource consumption and impacts on the environment and population were considered.

    The five technologies are:

    • the storage of CO2 as biomass in forests and the use of wood
    • storage in the form of humus in the soil and the use of plant carbon
    • capture and storage of CO2 from biomass combustion (BECCS)
    • removal from the air and storage (DACCS)
    • the accelerated weathering of demolition concrete and rock (carbonation)

    Each of the five NETs was assessed based on the current state of knowledge and with the help of expert interviews. Potential opportunities, risks, synergies and conflicts were identified and considered from a system perspective. Based on this, general and specific, technology-related options for action and recommendations were derived and reflected on together with selected stakeholders.

    The most important general recommendations of the study
    In order for NET’s contribution to the net-zero target to be implemented in an environmentally and socially compatible manner, politics and society should address the issue at an early stage. This requires in particular that the public is involved in shaping the conditions of use of NET by means of fact-based and comprehensible information.

    There is a need for an overarching strategy for the use of limited resources, such as renewable energy, water, biomass and soil, and for financing for the development and implementation of NET.

    Further research is needed to determine the potential of the different technologies.

    It must be possible to record the amount of CO2 removed from the atmosphere in the long term in a transparent and simple way to create a reliable assessment framework and avoid counting the same CO2 more than once.

    The minimum period of CO2 fixation from which a technology or NET project is recognised in terms of the Climate Strategy should be reflected.

    NETs can only be used as a supplement to the priority reduction of greenhouse gas emissions when achieving the net zero target. Therefore, it is important that separate targets apply to the reduction of CO2 emissions and to CO2 removal.

    Switzerland currently has a pioneering role in the development of NET. This competitive advantage should be further strengthened by promoting the relevant research and development, as well as demonstration projects.

  • Implenia strengthens its position as industry leader for sustainability

    Implenia strengthens its position as industry leader for sustainability

    Implenia significantly reduced its carbon footprint in 2022, from 62,981 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in absolute terms in the base year 2020 to 50,672 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Even adjusted for turnover, this represents a reduction of 10.5 percent. Implenia has further sharpened the reporting of its carbon footprint. It now includes all markets and all Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, as well as initial key figures for Scope 3 emissions.

    Implenia 2022 has also analysed the entire portfolio of its more than 40 development projects in Switzerland and calculated the carbon footprint. The analysis was based on the SIA energy efficiency path. Significant optimisations were initiated in order to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The results of this portfolio analysis make it possible to identify the most important levers for decarbonisation and to pursue an ambitious decarbonisation strategy. Implenia generates its own solar power with photovoltaic systems on the roofs of plant yards and production facilities. in 2022, this amounted to more than 1.3 gigawatt hours of green electricity, an increase of over 20 per cent compared to the previous year.

    To the full report: https://implenia.com/nachhaltigkeit/nachhaltigkeitsbericht/?utm_source=mm_newsletter_de/link&utm_campaign=sustainabilitycp&utm_medium=row_773

  • Building insulation – Light masonry

    Building insulation – Light masonry

    Glazed building elements are a popular method in architecture for letting light into a building. This makes better use of environmentally friendly daylight, and less artificial lighting is needed. However, in order to maximise this advantage, the glass elements should preferably be used to construct entire walls for the building envelope, which requires that the elements have effective thermal insulation and can bear a certain load – a combination that has not been available on the market in this way until now.

    Both requirements fulfilled: highly insulating and translucent
    Silicate aerogels are high-performance thermal insulation materials that are becoming increasingly popular in the building sector. The most common are opaque insulation mats and plasters. Empa researcher Jannis Wernery and his colleagues from the “Building Energy Materials and Components” department already had the idea in 2017 to integrate the insulating material directly into a building block and presented a new type of brick filled with aerogel, the so-called “Aerobrick”. Thanks to its excellent thermal insulation, this brick saves heating costs – without the need for an additional insulation layer on the masonry.

    However, aerogel can also be almost transparent, which enables a translucent, insulating building system. To take advantage of this and further improve the insulating performance of the “aerobrick”, Wernery, Michal Ganobjak and Co. developed a new type of modular component based on float glass and silicate aerogel granulate that combines both properties – it is translucent and thermally insulating: the aerogel glass block.

    The glass blocks filled with translucent aerogel granulate allow the construction of aesthetically pleasing and even load-bearing façade elements that allow daylight to enter over a large area. The Empa researchers achieved this combination of strength, insulation and light transmission by using staggered spacers between the glass panes within the glass block, which ensure static stability with minimal heat transmission.

    The glass block has a measured thermal conductivity of 53 mW/(m∙K) and a compressive strength of almost 45 MPa. This is the highest insulating performance of a brick to be found in the technical literature, let alone on the market. At the same time, there is also the property of light transmission.

    Multiple applications in view
    The aerogel glass block is suitable for applications in which there are simultaneous requirements for high daylight input, glare protection and privacy protection, for example in offices, libraries and museums. An important aspect here is that a building envelope made of such glass blocks couples the inside of the building with the outside in terms of daylight. This can have a positive effect on the daily rhythm of the building users. Possible applications include:

    • Rooms that should not have a line of sight to the outside, for example for reasons of privacy, security or to avoid disturbances, but should still allow diffuse daylight into the interior, such as libraries, galleries, museums, foyers, offices, staircase cores, gymnasiums, multi-purpose halls, residential buildings or art workshops.
    • Spaces where daylight is necessary for a healthy circadian rhythm, such as dormitories, hospitals and sanatoria, but also zoos, stables and animal breeding facilities up to greenhouses
    • Places where a maximum of daylight is to be brought in and space is to be saved, for example in densely built-up city quarters with high-rise buildings and many city apartments
    • Architectural elements such as Trombe walls in solar architecture, courtyards or atriums that generate heat from the infrared radiation of sunlight

    An analysis of material costs shows that the insulating glass block can be quite competitive in such applications. The glass block thus offers architecture new design possibilities for more daylight in buildings – both for new buildings and for renovations. The researchers have now applied for a patent for the aerogel glass block and are looking for possible industrial partners.

  • New double kindergartens made from re-use components

    New double kindergartens made from re-use components

    This semester, the architecture students of the 6th semester part-time are dealing with the question of how new double kindergartens can be created for the city of Basel from the building component catalogue of the Roche South Basel deconstruction project.

    An ambitious and experimental task and a pilot project
    After visiting the South Area on the Roche Campus in Basel, the students analyse the buildings that will soon be deconstructed for their resource potential for a future as double kindergartens. This is a pilot project, as there is currently no established industry for re-use parts. “New buildings” constructed from re-use resources are a step towards a circular economy in the construction industry. The 10-R cascade and Crade-to-Cradle are brought to the fore as theoretical foundations.

    For this ambitious and experimental task, the Department of Architecture, Wood and Construction at the Bern University of Applied Sciences is working with experts from the companies Gruner, CSD Ingenieure and Erne Holzbau. Every week, different speakers with knowledge and experience in the field give input and take part in the table discussions with the students.

    In partnership with the city of Basel and the Roche company, the students will develop proposals for the further use of the building components by the end of the semester. In the process, living spaces for children will be created by rejoining the building components.

    Re-use for Kids “design studio
    The “Re-Use for Kids” design studio is about finding ways to design and build new kindergartens from a catalogue of components from a deconstruction project. The aim is to find principles and parameters that enable a stringent architectural design when reusing building components. The effects of the reused parts on the structure, construction, spatial arrangement and atmosphere of the architecture are examined.

    Addressing the topic requires the inclusion of a wide variety of issues in the design process and is therefore an interdisciplinary task. Various external experts contribute their expertise in the design studio, thus creating a realistic teaching situation.

  • Sustainable building follows cantonal regulations

    Sustainable building follows cantonal regulations

    Due to the constitutional responsibility of the cantons, there are different regulations in this area throughout Switzerland. For this reason, the Conference of Cantonal Energy Directors (EnDK) has adopted the Model Cantonal Energy Regulations (MuKEn) of 2014, which aim at the greatest possible harmonisation and thus simplification of construction planning and the corresponding approval procedures.

    We have analysed how close the implementation of selected cantonal sustainability regulations are according to MuKEn. The complete analysis can be downloaded here. The evaluation shows: Basel-City, Lucerne, Jura and Fribourg orient their energy legislation relatively closely to the model regulations and in some cases even go beyond them. At the other end are Aargau, Uri and Zug, where corresponding implementation is in the planning stage, and Solothurn, which will have the fewest regulations in the foreseeable future.

    The setting: cantonal responsibility, intercantonal coordination
    According to the Federal Constitution, energy policy in the building sector is the responsibility of the cantons. They are thus empowered to define and implement their own energy and climate policy goals within the framework of federal law.

    This allocation of tasks makes perfect sense: cantonal authorities are very familiar with the infrastructure, the population and the sensitivities of their region. They can thus plan and implement building law measures in an appropriate, efficient and broadly supported manner.

    However, the result is also a structure of different regimes with different characteristics and emphases. This sometimes causes confusion among real estate players operating on a supra-regional level. Since economies of scale are made more difficult, the federalist division of roles leads to efficiency losses.

    Politicians have also understood this. In the competent cantonal conferences, the responsible cantonal councillors and experts therefore develop and coordinate common energy and climate policy goals and strategies, which they laid down, for example, in the already mentioned MuKEn 2014.

    Detailed information at https://www.wuestpartner.com/ch-de/2023/03/24/nachhaltiges-bauen-folgt-kantonalen-regelungen/