Philipp Heer
Deputy Head Urban Energy Systems Lab
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
Überlandstrasse 129
8600 Dübendorf
Tel +41 58 765 4990
About
Philipp Heer is the deputy head of the Urban Energy Systems Lab (UESL) at Empa - an Institute of the ETH Domain and is responsible for the energy and digitalization related research at the Empa demonstrators NEST, move and ehub. He received a BSc from HSLU T&A (2010) and a MSc from ETH Zurich (2013) both in Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering and a MAS from ETH Zurich (2018) in Management, Technology, and Economics. His research focuses on developing operational solutions based on data-driven approaches to foster a sustainable energy system.
Professional Background
2025 – Head Urban Automation Systems, Empa Dübendorf, Switzerland
2020 – 2025 Deputy Head Urban Energy Systems Lab, Empa Dübendorf, Switzerland
2016 – 2025 Head ehub group, Empa Dübendorf, Switzerland
2013 – 2020 Building Control NEST, Empa Dübendorf, Switzerland
2010 – 2013 Scientific researcher, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland
2006 – 2007 Electrician, Frey+Cie AG Lucerne, Switzerland
Educational Background
2017 – 2018 ETH MAS MTEC, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Thesis: Battery Technology Evaluation and their Distribution Grid Applications
2010 – 2013 ETH MSc Electrical Engineering & Information Technology, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Thesis: Decentralized MPC for smart grid applications
2007 – 2010 HSLU BSc Electrical Engineering & Information Technology, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland
Thesis: Gestaltung und Implementierung eines Antriebs für ein „Formula Student“ Rennauto
2002 – 2006 Apprenticeship Electrician, Frey+Cie AG Lucerne, Switzerland
Supervision of Students / Postdoctoral Fellows / Scientists
Scientists: M. Locher, R. Weber, Y. Guo
PostDocs: F. Bellizio, G. Humbert, A. Chatterjee, M. Montazeri, B. Nortmann
Research Associates: A. Tell
Engineers: S. Stoller, R. Fricker
PhD Students: V. Behrunani, J. Rousseau, C. Tajoli, C. Koepele
Alumni
L. DiNatale, now at ZSR AG
B. Svetozarevic, now co-founder and CEO at ZSR AG
F. Bünning now co-founder and CEO at viboo AG
B.Huber now co-founder and CTO at viboo AG
J. Vivian now associate Professor at Università degli Studi di Padova
C. Derungs now Data Scientist at SRF
M. Fiorentini now associate Professor at Aarhus Universitetet
M. Khosravi now Assistant Professor at TU Delft
R. Knechtle now Data Engineer at SBB
M. Hohmann now Senior Grid studies engineer at Swissgrid AG
S.Thorsteinsson (visiting), PhD Student at Aalborg Universitetet
Achievements / Awards
2024 Watt d'Or, Special "buildings and space" award, Swiss Federal Office of Energy, Category Transition, nanoverbund,
(https://www.bfe.admin.ch/bfe/en/home/swiss-federal-office-of-energy/watt-d-or.html)
2018 Norman Foster Solar Award Solarpreis, Fitness/Wellness NEST, Solaragentur Schweiz
(https://www.solaragentur.ch/solarpreis/schweizer-solarpreis)
2017 SIA Award "Umsicht – Regards – Sguardi 2017", NEST – Gemeinsam an der Zukunft bauen, Swiss society of engineers and architects,
(https://www.sia.ch/de/themen/umsicht-17/)
2017 Watt d'Or, Special "Transition" award, Swiss Federal Office of Energy, Category Transition, NEST – a Lego house expedites innovation,
(https://www.bfe.admin.ch/bfe/en/home/swiss-federal-office-of-energy/watt-d-or.html)
2010 Best Student Award in Electrical Systems and Power Electronics, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland
Research Projects
Past Projects
CCEM ideas4cities (2013-2017), BFE NEST (2013-2018), SCCER JA CEDA (2017-2020), SCCER FEEB&D II (2017-2020), SALISC (2018), Innosuisse Twingtec (2018), BFE ECOBATTEM (2018-2019), BFE EcoDynBat (2018-2020), BFE aliunid Feldtest (2019-2020), FOGA K3 (2019-2022), BFE KiG (2020-2021), Innosuisse NIOD (2021-2023), BFE ReMaP (2018-2023), BFE S-DSM (2020-2024), CAPITAL (2020-2024), H2020 ECO-Qube (2020-2024), SDSC Euthermo (2021-2024), DT-CEB (2022-2024)
Ongoing
BFE UC-DPC (2020-2025), NCCR Automation (2020-2028), BFE Hobelwerk (2020-2026), Klimafonds Winterthur Low tech, High intelligence (2021-2025), BFE SWEET PATHFNDR (2021-2027), BFE SWEET LANTERN (2022-2030), BFE AHA (2023-2025), Era-NET GOES (2023-2026), BFE nanoverbund (2023-2025), BFE H2-districts (2023-2025), Horizon REFORMERs (2023-2028), Horizon HEATWISE (2024-2026)
References