Sustainable energy planning
Colouring Dübendorf – a research project on the future of energy
The city of Dübendorf and Empa are joining forces to send a strong signal for climate protection: The Colouring Dübendorf research project is working with the local population to investigate what a sustainable and locally coordinated energy future could look like. Initial findings from the Gfenn district are being incorporated into an innovative energy model – with the aim of identifying specific ways to achieve the net-zero target.
Switzerland has set itself the goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. The city of Dübendorf is also actively committed to this climate goal. Dübendorf has been an energy city since 2002. In 2023, the municipal council adopted the climate action plan. This sets out specific measures in the area of energy and climate as well as a reduction path for greenhouse gas emissions.
Empa's Colouring Dübendorf research project
Achieving the net-zero target requires far-reaching changes in the energy supply of buildings, vehicles and neighborhoods and represents a major challenge. This is where Colouring Dübendorf comes in – a research project of Empa's Urban Energy Systems laboratory in collaboration with the city of Dübendorf. The aim is to try out new ways of developing a local energy strategy that is as concrete as possible with the participation of residents.
Empa's advanced energy system models are being used to analyze how a sustainable energy future can be achieved. The focus is on reducing emissions, the efficient use of renewable energies and the smoothest possible implementation for everyone involved.
Gfenn district as a pioneer
In March 2025, Empa researchers were guests at the general meeting of the Gfenn district association, where they presented the project and took suggestions on the energy supply of buildings in Gfenn. The members of the neighborhood association were able to indicate how they heat their homes and whether they have a photovoltaic system or an electric vehicle. The information is incorporated into the data basis of the energy model. In the second half of 2025, the residents of the Gfenn district will also be invited to take part in a survey on the current and future energy supply of their buildings. The results of the project are expected in mid-2026. An expansion of the project to other districts in the city of Dübendorf will then be examined.
The Colouring Dübendorf project will help residents, the city and the local energy supplier to better understand which solutions for a renewable energy supply make the most sense in the city of Dübendorf and in individual districts.
Dominic Müller,
Hochbauvorstand Dübendorf
Phone +41 79 880 03 12,
Milena Krieger
Projektleiterin Stadtplanung Dübendorf
Phone +41 44 801 60 27
Dr. Georgios Mavromatidis
Empa, Urban Energy Systems
Phone +41 58 765 4299
