From July 22^nd to 24^th over 250 scientists, engineers and specialists from around 30 countries are gathering for the 4th International Conference on FRP Composites in Civil Engineering to discuss the newest developments in the use of fiber reinforced polymers in the construction industry. This is the first time that Empa has organized this renowned biennial conference.

In a project together with Vetsuisse, the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Zurich and the Echler textile company from Canton Appenzell, and with support from Swiss Olympic, Empa has developed a novel blanket for the horses of the Swiss team at the Olympic Games in Hong Kong, where the equestrian events will be held. The blanket is designed to protect the animals from abrupt increases in temperature, as well as the feared chill effect on returning to the stable after competing. Recently the hi-tech blankets were tested on Shetland ponies in the climate chamber at Empa St. Gall with very positive results.

Cutting edge research and innovative developments usually have several «fathers». Research institutions seeking international acclaim must have intensive cooperation with widely branched expert networks. In the past three months, Empa has therefore continued to strengthen its national and international cross links: In January two agreements were concluded with Swiss Universities – the Universities of Berne and Zuerich –, and others are still being prepared. Last November, in Tsukuba, Japan, Empa-Director Louis Schlapbach signed a cooperation agreement with the «National Institute for Materials Science», the Japanese «sister institute» of Empa.

Every year the scientific journal «Environmental Science & Technology» selects the best scientific works in the fields of environmental science, technology and policy from the over 1200 papers it publishes. The chosen works are those “expected to have a significant and long-lasting impact on the field“, as the editors write in the April edition of the journal. This year a cooperative project between Empa and the ETH Zurich has been honored as the best work in the environmental sciences category. In their paper the researchers describe the mechanism by which metal-containing nanoparticles can cause oxidative stress in human lung cells.

Using an environmentally friendly mode of transport such as an electric scooter instead of a gasoline powered auto protects the environment and our climate. Interim results of an Empa research study done for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy show that E-Scooters produce approximately 17 times fewer greenhouse gases than the average Swiss automobile. Thus, in cities with a large volume of cars, such as Zürich, electric vehicles can bring about environmentally friendly commuting.

As a country striving to become a world economic power, China is faced with an ever-increasing problem of environmental pollution. In order to monitor the emission levels of selected pollutants which are thought to cause climate change, Empa has constructed measuring instruments for a monitoring station near to Beijing. These instruments, which are specially adapted to suit the conditions in China, enable scientists to identify greenhouse gases of anthropogenic origin such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). In mid-January Empa researchers held talks with the Chinese authorities on the construction of two new instruments and the appropriate training of Chinese scientists in Switzerland.

Metallized fibers are currently at the focus of a lot of attention in the textile industry. At the end of 2007 Empa transferred the rights to its patent for a special fiber coating process to Tersuisse Multifils SA in Emmenbruecke, at the same time handing over its pilot plant to the company. This new technology, developed at Empa, will help strengthen the Swiss economy in the global textile market. The new process allows the fiber coating to be significantly thinner than previously, thus reducing both costs and material consumption while improving environmental friendliness and yet still maintaining the useful characteristics of the finished textile.

For his pioneering efforts in the use of carbon fiber reinforced polymers in civil engineering structures, the ex-director of Empa, Urs Meier, has been honored with an international «Fellowship-Award». The International Society for Structural Health Monitoring of Intelligent Infrastructure (ISHMII) awarded the prize at the end of 2007 for the first time to four researchers in total – from China, Japan, the USA and Switzerland.