Campaigns

Campaigns offer the ETH community decisive opportunities to actively contribute to the realisation of the net zero goals and to help shape a climate-neutral university in a participatory manner. They promote the exchange of innovative ideas and motivate action. Together we can shape the path to a more climate-friendly future: every bit counts!

First campaign for Net Zero

The earth's natural resources are precious. They are indispensable for our lives and our future - but we are currently consuming too much of them. It is our responsibility to consciously use and protect our resources - also in our interactions on campus. The first ETH-wide campaign on net zero ‘RESOURCES ARE PRECIOUS’ from 14 October to 8 November 2024 shows in a simple way how each of us can contribute to conserving resources in our everyday lives and in our daily decisions. We are excited to see how ETH employees implement Switch off, Heat Less or Reduce Packaging in the lab, office, department or at home. Share your idea, sustainability story or sustainability initiative with us via our external page external page web form.

Did you already know?

ETH is a major consumer of electricity in Switzerland. It requires 141 GWh of electricity per year and thus emits around 1,500 tonnes of CO2. This is roughly equivalent to the electricity consumption of 28,000 Swiss households. After all, more than 10,000 employees and over 25,000 students study, research and work at ETH.

The largest electricity consumption is generated by laboratory operations and the computer centres. A single freezer at -80°C alone requires almost as much energy as a single-family household (approx. 5 MWh/year).

Increasing computing power and the use of artificial intelligence are increasing energy requirements. A ChatGPT enquiry consumes 10-30 times as much power as a Google search.

ETH has been researching and working on the decarbonisation of electricity generation for a long time. We have been buying electricity from renewable sources for many years, most of it from hydropower. In addition, consumption has been reduced through efficiency and savings measures despite growth. For example, we are switching to LED lighting, using time switches and reducing outdoor lighting in buildings.

In 2022, the Federal Council also decided that photovoltaic systems should be installed on the roofs of federal buildings. ETH has already installed some systems and is currently finalising a concept for nationwide expansion by 2030. Given the current high cost of electricity, the payback period is short.

What can you do?

Stop standby: Electronic devices can consume up to 80 % of electricity in standby mode - around the clock. Switching off screens, coffee machines and other electronic devices overnight and at weekends therefore saves an average of ¾ of electricity consumption.
Label devices: In laboratories in particular, it is often not clear which devices can be switched off when without affecting research operations. With our stickers, you can easily label the devices - the stickers are available at all Campus Infos.
Stairs instead of a lift: Even a lift consumes about the same amount of energy per year as a detached house. If you can, take the stairs - not only does it save electricity, it's also healthy.

Campaigns

First campaign for Net Zero

Did you already know?

What can you do?

Did you know?

What can you do?

Did you know?

What can you do?

Campaigns

First campaign for Net Zero

Let's switch off

Did you already know?

What can you do?

Let's heat less

Did you know?

What can you do?

Let's reduce packaging

Did you know?

What can you do?