Archive internal news

Yesterday, ETH Zurich had a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the main building broken up by police. Ulrich Weidmann, Vice President for Infrastructure and ETH Zurich's chief security officer, explains what led to this decision.

The City of Zurich intends to take over ETH’s district heating system in the Zentrum area. With the sale, ETH is strengthening its focus and is drawing a line under a situation that has developed over time.

The new equipment brings the Hönggerberg campus one step closer to efficient and environmentally friendly heating and cooling and helps to further reduce CO₂ emissions and the consumption of fossil fuels.

Work on the new computing centre on the Hönggerberg (HRZ) is progressing. The foundation stone was laid last Friday, marking the start of construction. ETH Zurich is thus taking a further step towards a modern and energy-efficient IT infrastructure.

The Institute of Molecular Plant Biology is getting a new laboratory on the Hönggerberg. Construction work began this week and should be completed in June 2025

Hannes Pichler has been Director of the Real Estate Management Department at ETH Zurich since 2023. This means that he is responsible for the timely provision of rooms and buildings at ETH. In this interview, he explains what the savings requirements in his department mean for teaching and research and how he came to ETH.

Construction work for the new computing centre on the Hönggerberg campus (HRZ) are set to begin in early 2024. Construction site setup and the preparatory work will begin today to ensure that work can start on time.

ETH Zurich cut its energy consumption by around 7 percent over the winter of 2022/23. As of 1 October, energy-saving measures relating to room temperature and lighting are again being implemented for the winter of 2023/24. All members of the ETH Zurich community are requested to help reduce energy consumption.

The new laboratory and research building in Basel has been awarded the "Iconic Awrad 2023" in the category "Innovative Architecture - Public / Culture / Education".

The new barrier-free forecourt of the Main Building will be fully available as of early 2024. Completion has been delayed due to an objection and the resulting late start of production in the quarry.

This morning, part of the courtyard around the Semper Observatory was closed off and a crane was set up to lift a telescope out of the dome. In late August, the original telescope from the founding year 1864 will be reassembled inside the observatory.

ETH Zurich is to rent additional space at Innovation Park Zurich as part of a phased plan, starting from this year. The move highlights Zurich’s role as an innovation hub and will strengthen research and collaboration with industry.

They come to ETH Zurich almost daily by bike or e-bike. Three ETH transport researchers are investigating how an e-bike-friendly city works. They are also committed to a safe, sustainable, and CO₂-reducing campus mobility at ETH Zurich.

In winter 2022/23, ETH Zurich reduced its energy consumption by around 7 percent compared to the previous winter and met the federal government’s gas savings target. As there is still some uncertainty surrounding energy supplies, it plans on reintroducing its energy-saving measures next winter. Specific measures for research are currently being worked on.

ETH Zurich wants to lower its total energy consumption this year in response to the sharp increase in energy costs. The university will emphasise saving electricity, which will require the joint effort of all technical, administrative and scientific units.

On Wednesday, a fault in a medium-voltage installation led to a power outage on the Hönggerberg campus. No one was injured. The causes and impact of the power outage are now being examined in order to learn any necessary lessons for the future.

ETH Zurich consumed less fossil energy for heating purposes in December 2022 than in previous years. Alongside the savings measures, this was also due to the temperatures. The switch from natural gas to heating oil has succeeded.

In November 2022, ETH Zurich’s gas consumption was significantly lower than in previous years. The university is currently implementing further measures to save energy.

Excellent teaching, research and administration requires effective information and communication technologies. That is why ETH Zurich is building a new data centre on its Hönggerberg campus between 2023 and 2026 to meet the demands of the future.

ETH Zurich has joined the Energy Saving Alliance. The Energy Saving Alliance brings together over 290 organisations that have committed to using energy more efficiently and sparingly, thus helping to ensure security of supply over the coming winter.

Since October, ETH Zurich has been implementing energy-saving measures in order to actively avoid a potential energy shortage. The current outlook for the extent to which the energy shortage will affect Switzerland is better than feared, but the situation remains very tense and saving energy is still important – not least because of higher energy prices.

ETH Zurich has launched a first round of measures to reduce its gas and energy consumption and avoid an energy shortage. These measures concern the room temperature in the buildings, the hot water and the lighting.

Should there be an energy shortage in Switzerland next winter, ETH Zurich will prioritise operations within its teaching and research infrastructure. A group of specialists at ETH has developed an action plan to ensure that core tasks are maintained at the University, even in the event of a crisis.

Demand for event venues at ETH Zurich already exceeds in-house supply. All organisational units are urged to plan well ahead and to budget for renting space from external providers.