Structural developments at ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich is evolving: the coming years will see not only the construction of new buildings, but also the transformation of interior space and office concepts. A townhall has been held to inform ETH members about architectural developments at ETH Zurich.
About 600 ETH members took part live in the virtual townhall event on the further architectural development of ETH Zurich. In 90 minutes, they learned the latest about the planning processes, the effects of the strong growth of ETH Zurich on infrastructure and about sustainability as an important prerequisite for site development.
New work and office concepts
The presentations of new office concepts were of particular interest, with Ulrich Weidmann, Vice President for Infrastructure, explaining that our working environment will change for various reasons in the medium term. The planned gradual expansion of flexible forms of work is part of a cultural change. At the same time, many tasks at a university such as ETH Zurich are now solved in a way that involves members of various teams or disciplines simultaneously. Flexible task-based office concepts support this approach by offering a suitable environment and space for all types of work.
Construction projects
A view of the campus – perhaps a little unusual, but exciting for many who have spent most or all their time working from home over the past 18 months due to the pandemic. A lot has happened at ETH Zurich in this time. New buildings, such as the Octavo, the HIF laboratory wing and the new Student Project House in the former district heating power plant, have been completed and are now in use. Other construction projects, such as the renovation of the main building forecourt and the underground car park below, were started and interior work progressed in new buildings, such as the GLC and BSS teaching and research buildings. Weidmann and Daniel Bucheli, head of Real Estate Management, used visualisations to offer a preview of planned new build, renovation and open space projects that are not yet visible. And there’s quite a few of these, particularly on the Hönggerberg campus.
Image gallery
Not able to watch it live? Take a look at the video recording of the event.
Recording of townhall on 31 August 2021
Questions
Townhall participants were able to enter questions via the Q&A function during the event. These are answered below and arranged according to topic.
Although ETH has grown strongly over the last two decades, the budget for infrastructure has not increased at the same rate in percentage terms. What are the implications of this?
Construction investment for the period from 2000 to 2019 averaged CHF 150 million per year. Planned construction investment (following the special years of 2020 to 2022 with several simultaneous large projects) from 2023 and the following years are set to remain stable at CHF 180 million per year, which means an increase of 20 percent in the average annual construction investment. Since building investment is part of the ETH Zurich budget, higher spending on construction would imply a reduction in the funds for teaching, research and knowledge transfer. It is in the interests of ETH Zurich as a whole to keep real estate costs at a level that can be financed sustainably. Further measures are necessary in addition to the general acceleration of growth in terms of meeting the relevant needs with the defined budget. This includes in particular a systematic prioritisation of needs with a view to the core tasks of ETH Zurich, the maintenance of existing infrastructure and the standardisation of development projects. Also essential will be the next step in the more efficient use of space, above all through sharing concepts for all types of space.
How does ETH deal with existing structures, in particular listed buildings? Is there a guideline for how many years these will be renovated?
Preserving existing building stock is a specific and quantifiable target set by the Federal Council and an important aspect of ETH Zurich’s construction investment. Currently, ETH Zurich is meeting its targets, but additional efforts will be needed in the coming years. In addition to project managers who take care of new buildings, the Real Estate Management consists largely of property managers who record the condition of existing buildings and organise the necessary maintenance and renovation measures. Large-scale renovation work is required after a building has been in operation for 30 to 40 years. In the next decade in particular, this work will have to be carried out on several larger building complexes, including HIL, HCI, MM and the ETH Domain. ETH Zurich has postponed major renovation work for the last time in favour of expansion projects for teaching and research (HIC, HPQ), but this will have an impact on construction activity in the 2030s.
ETH Zurich has the opportunity to develop further in terms of space on the Hönggerberg campus. Are there any more details available about the use of this space and how it will benefit teaching and research, for example?
The masterplan intentionally does not make any statements about the exact use of space, which will be based in each case on the effective demand at the time of planning and realisation of a building. Construction work will only be carried out on the basis of actual demand. With the dynamic environment in which ETH finds itself, it is important to be able to react flexibly and in accordance with requirements.
New demands and framework conditions for the real estate sector follow a top-down principle. This includes, for example, new application processes, restrictions on the flexible adaptation of user requirements and the introduction of new office concepts. Does this approach not conflict with the ongoing rETHink process, where such issues are approached from a bottom-up perspective?
So far, ETH Zurich has been more flexible and generous towards its users than probably any other comparable institution. This has undoubtedly contributed to academic success and the development of ETH culture, but can no longer be sustained in the current difficult financial situation. Streamlining processes and the professionalisation of the ordering process will ensure infrastructure in line with demand and with the times, despite more restrictive finances. Initial experience shows that this is completely feasible.
Is every building examined in terms of sustainability factors?
ETH Zurich integrates the three sustainability dimensions of environment, economy and society equally in decisions relating to campus development, both at the overall site level and at the individual property level. This therefore requires both a higher-level approach, such as in the planning of energy supply for an overall area (e.g. Anergy Grid), and a purely building-specific approach. The requirements at the building project level are defined in an associated guideline. This includes, for example, the issues of materialisation, energy efficiency and lifecycle costing.
Where does the electricity used to charge electric vehicles come from?
Electric vehicles are powered by the ETH electricity grid, 88 percent of which comes from renewable energy sources.
Will there also be non-reserved parking spaces with charging facilities for electric cars on the Hönggerberg in the future?
Parking spaces with charging stations are primarily intended for ETH vehicles. Individual parking spaces for visitors are also equipped with charging stations. Regular commuters with electric vehicles can rent a personal parking space, with electricity consumption included in the rent.
The parking situation in the centre is difficult and further parking spaces have been eliminated following the upgrading of outdoor areas, such as the observatory park. Are any measures being taken to provide additional parking spaces in the centre?
We are in the fortunate position that only about 5 percent of ETH members travel by private car. Space is currently limited due to the renovation of the HG underground car park, and at street level, certain parking spaces will be eliminated in favour of bicycle parking or sharing facilities. The number of parking spaces per site prescribed by the city will of course be observed.
What are the plans for short, medium and long-term public transport links with the Hönggerberg campus?
A more frequent timetable for line 80 was introduced in December 2019. With the electrification of lines 69 and 80 from 2024, the use of double-articulated buses will also soon increase the capacity per bus by about 25 percent. In addition, the ETH Link has been powered by electricity for a year now and runs as often as every 10 to 20 minutes during the semester. In a few years, therefore, public transport on the Hönggerberg will be even more efficient and fully electric.
Will a 25 percent increase in capacity be enough in the longer term? Or will there be a need for further measures?
The mobility concept for the Hönggerberg has shown that this 25 percent will be sufficient. However, accompanying internal measures, such as flexible working hours, staggered teaching times, etc. will also be necessary. New forms of working, with an increased proportion of time spent working from home, will also help to reduce the volume of traffic to and from Hönggerberg at peak times. In its external pageVision for 2050, VBZ has defined the way in which mobility in the city of Zurich should look in 2050. This vision includes two new tram rings, with the outer one running from Enge station via Altstetten station, Hönggerberg to Oerlikon station. ETH Zurich is in close contact with VBZ regarding public transport links to its sites.
Many employees and researchers must be able to work in a highly concentrated manner. How does that fit with the proposed office concepts in open-plan offices?
Many of the tasks facing a modern top university are solved across teams and departments. The new task-based concepts facilitate this approach by providing the right environment for each type of work. Possibilities for retreat and places for concentrated and quiet working are also an important component of multi-space office landscapes. In addition, the option to work from home will be expanded in the future as part of the promotion of new forms of working.
We have had a lot of experience with working from home in the last 18 months. To what extent is this experience being used to promote flexible working models? It would certainly also have a positive effect in terms of efficient use of office space.
During the pandemic, we had a great deal of experience with increased working from home, and ETH Zurich aims to make use of this experience and incorporate it into the design of flexible forms of work. The new forms of work (more working from home, but no fixed workstation in the workplace) are also a good opportunity to make more efficient use of space and manage our current and future growth in a cost-efficient and high-quality approach.
When will the renovation work on the ML west building be carried out, and how long will it take?
The specific timing of the overall renovation of the ML west building is currently being clarified, as the process is connected with measures that must be implemented within the framework of fire safety requirements for the ML hall.
What will happen to the chimney of the ML building?
The chimney will remain unchanged. It is currently surrounded by scaffolding so that the exterior surfaces can be cleaned and repainted. The plasterwork will remain. The chimney contains the cooling towers of the new cooling centre, which sprays the warm exhaust air from the cooling unit with water to cool it.
Why has the forecourt of the main building not been designed with more green space than before?
The main building and the forecourt are both subject to a conservation order. The forecourt was designed by Gustav Gull to resemble a main courtyard in the style of a baroque palace. As no green spaces were included in Gull’s design, it is therefore not possible to add them now. To the extent that spatial planning and conservation requirements allow, ETH Zurich plans its new build and renovation projects in such a way that the local climate can be improved. For example, measures include increased green space and provision of shade, the construction of ponds and the unsealing of surfaces for optimised infiltration and evaporation, which has a positive cooling effect.
Even with increasing digitalisation, ETH Zurich remains a face-to-face university and will need to absorb the growth in student numbers accordingly in terms of space. Which projects and buildings offer development opportunities for teaching?
Teaching is one of the basic mandates of ETH Zurich, and hence a key factor in its structural development. The additional needs in the area of teaching have been recognised, and are being incorporated into current and future projects. Projects such as the Student Project House in the former district heating power plant and the planned ETH Centre for Students & Entrepreneurs (HIC) on the Hönggerberg are also dedicated to providing facilities for students. Significant longer-term development opportunities in the area of teaching will be available on the Hönggerberg in projects from 2030. This will include the new HWS building and the HIL renovation. In the short term, it will be necessary to examine where additional workplaces can be created on existing sites, taking the experience of the coronavirus pandemic into account.
People who work in a building that is being renovated while in use are often affected by inconvenience or the unexpected. How does ETH ensure that research and teaching are not negatively impacted by the construction work, and that the processes are well coordinated?
The Real Estate Management Department strives to keep the disruption to a minimum by implementing certain measures within the building concerned. This starts with consideration of a wide range of possible circumstances in project planning through to implementation and monitoring. For the Hönggerberg campus, for example, a record of particularly vibration-sensitive areas is kept and a monitoring concept based on this record is used to monitor these areas. The record is updated continuously in order to provide users with access to the data collected. Also in the area of teaching, in terms of the availability of quiet examination rooms, regular planning meetings are held between the Real Estate Management Department and the Examinations Office of Academic Services. In addition, there is a focus on ensuring proactive, regular communication in order to identify and address any conflicts of objectives at an early stage. The project managers responsible for the relevant construction project remain in constant contact with user representatives, including during the implementation phase.
Further information
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