A new home for Sustainability Robotics
Flying robots capable of inspecting and repairing building envelopes, interacting with natural ecosystems, and monitoring climate change and biodiversity are being developed and tested at the DroneHub at Empa's NEST. This cutting-edge facility is dedicated to pioneering autonomous robots that work harmoniously within both natural and man-made environments.
New technologies for resource-efficient construction developed to market readiness
A digitally manufactured staircase that winds its way up to the second floor. A wafer-thin, perforated concrete ceiling that absorbs sound. Floor and wall materials made from recycled waste. The latest unit in the NEST research and innovation building at Empa is a beacon for material-saving and energy-efficient construction technologies. The STEP2 unit is officially opened.
Subtle renovations thanks to aerogel applications in construction
For the fourth time, the Aerogel Architecture Awards were hold at NEST, honoring a total of six projects in the categories “Realized Solutions” and “Student Projects”. They all show applications of aerogel materials in architecture and construction projects that enable major savings in terms of heat loss and energy consumption through minimal intervention in the building fabric and appearance. The winners are the "Stringi-Stringi" housing complex from Italy and the Tassi Museum project from Brazil.
When façades learn to speak: How applied design can promote the energy transition
How can design and visual communication accelerate the energy transition? Design student Jenna Wittkopf addressed this question as part of her bachelor's thesis. She has designed multifunctional PV modules that serve several purposes simultaneously: In addition to efficient energy production, the modules can be visually integrated into the building and also serve as a call to action.
"NEST provides the ideal environment to further develop our innovation"
As part of the HiLo project at NEST, researchers from the Chair of Architecture and Building Systems at ETH Zurich have developed an innovative adaptive solar façade that simultaneously optimizes electricity production and energy savings. Demonstrators of the façade were tested at the HiLo unit. With the founding of the ETH Zurich spin-off "Zurich Soft Robotics", the product is now to be brought to the market under the name "Solskin".
"At NEST, the MESH technology has achieved the breakthrough"
The innovative MESH technology uses robots to produce a 3D grid structure that simultaneously forms the reinforcement and formwork. This enables the production of complex, customized concrete structures. The ETH researchers used their process for the first time on the construction site during the construction of the NEST unit DFAB HOUSE showing They now reached another milestone on the way to market maturity: the founding of the ETH spin-off MESH AG.
