Public lecture: "Mainstreaming energy and resource efficiency in the built environment – just a dream?"

Further information
IED website

On Monday, 2 April, Professor Holger Wallbaum, Chair of Sustainable Construction will shed light on the rationalities and emotions in the world of construction to better understand why the proportion of sustainable property in the total building stock still remains small in Switzerland and worldwide.

A critical reflection on rationalities and emotions in the world of construction

In the construction market, a high level of dynamism in the construction of energy-efficient buildings can be observed – particularly regarding new buildings. In Switzerland the stock of energy-efficient Minergie buildings, which are commonly viewed as being "sustainable", has more than tripled between 2004 and 2012. This dynamism is also evident in LEED certification – e.g. in commercial construction registered to receive LEED certification, from 3% in 2002 the annual volume has risen to 8% in 2011. Despite all this, the proportion of actually built sustainable properties remains low. In the US, there are currently only appr. 10’000 LEED-certified buildings – an insignificant amount compared with the 1.8 million houses and 170000 commercial buildings built each year. With 21’000 certified buildings in Switzerland, the proportion of Minergie buildings represents only about 1% of the total stock. There are various reasons for the low proportion of energy-efficient and sustainable property.

The public lecture is held in English at the Institute for Environmental Decisions (IED).

Public lecture

Monday, 2 April 2012
17:15–18:15

ETH Zurich, Zentrum
Building CHN, room F 46
Universitätsstrasse 16
8092 Zürich