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.
Did you know?
A large proportion of the 53 GWh of heat required is used to heat the ETH buildings. However, heating/cooling capacity is also required for research processes, for example to generate steam for sterilisation. ETH thus emits around 6,500 tonnes of CO2, and the ETH Centre primarily uses district heating from the City of Zurich. The Hönggerberg campus is largely heated by heat pumps from the anergy network and gas.
ETH relies on a combination of different technologies for an efficient and environmentally friendly heating and cooling supply.
In autumn 2023, an efficient heat pump was put into operation on the Hönggerberg campus - another one is already being planned.
All heat pumps will be integrated into the anergy network, a dynamic ground storage system with a low-temperature distribution network that already supplies a third of all buildings. It is considered a flagship project and was awarded the Swiss Watt d'Or energy prize in 2020.
The buildings on the Centre Campus are mainly supplied with district heating from the ERZ's Hagenholz waste incineration plant.
ETH Zurich also makes consistent use of waste heat, which is released into the environment by technical equipment, for example. The use of waste heat covers up to 20 per cent of ETH Zurich's thermal energy requirements.
What can you do?
- Heat less: A reduction of 1 degree saves around 6 per cent of heating energy. If you have a temperature controller in the office, set the room temperature to a maximum of 20 degrees Celsius (level 3).
- Ventilate instead of tilting: Shock ventilation can significantly reduce heat loss and therefore the heating energy required in winter. For good ventilation, it is sufficient to open the windows wide 3 to 5 times a day for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Do not use electric stoves: For fire safety reasons, ETH members are not permitted to use private heat generators (heaters, radiant heaters, etc.) in ETH Zurich rooms.
Did you know?
Even if the emissions from packaging material are low, the large quantity and short period of use result in an enormous consumption of resources. At ETH, over 1,000 tonnes of residual waste are produced every year, the majority of which is packaging.
While residual waste is incinerated, separately collected waste can be recycled - the rate at ETH is currently just under 45%. So it pays to separate! Waste disposal costs ETH over one million Swiss francs every year - and that's without providing waste containers or cleaning services. Company waste, paper/cardboard, wood, glass, metal, green waste, construction waste, electronic waste and a variety of hazardous waste are collected separately. Since the coronavirus pandemic, the flood of packaging has increased once again as more food and drinks are consumed to-go.
ETH Zurich wants to increase the recycling rate and thus reduce the burden on resources. In the GreenLabs project, for example, approaches to waste avoidance and reuse are being rolled out in laboratory operations and sustainable laboratories are being certified with a label. In addition, the disposal concept and the corresponding signage are currently being revised to enable better waste separation.
What can you do?
- Did you bring a bottle? Bring a water bottle and fill it up at the numerous fountains and taps - not only will you save money on drinks, but you'll always have plenty of liquid with you!
- Reusable instead of disposable: Use reusable crockery from ReCircle if you're on the go or can't finish your lunch in the canteen - then you'll have a snack left over for the afternoon!
- Separating is the trend! Use the waste stations to separate your rubbish and enable recycling. The options for separating waste will be continuously expanded over the next few years.