2015 breaks all heat records

Globally, 2015 was the hottest year on record. This has consequences.

Human-induced climate change brings extreme weather events such as droughts, severe storms or floods.
Human-induced climate change brings extreme weather events such as droughts, severe storms or floods.

Never before has a year been recorded as hot as the past one: according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the average global surface temperature was 0.76°C above the long-term average from 1961 to 1990 and about 1°C hotter than during the pre-industrial period.

This means that 2015 beats the previous record year - which was also not long ago: It was the year 2014.

Record temperatures were accompanied by severe weather events: Heat waves, floods and severe drought.

The development worries the WMO: "It is a sobering moment in human history," says WMO Secretary General Petteri Taalas. He appeals to countries to absolutely keep the emission reduction commitments made at the Paris climate conference, because "that's the only way we have any chance of staying within the 2°C target," Taalas says.

But even then, he sees the outlook as bleak: "Climate change will have increasingly negative effects over at least the next five decades. That means we need to invest not only in mitigation, but also in adaptation. Countries need to be strengthened in their ability to issue early disaster warnings to minimize human and economic losses. Climate change increases the risk of weather-related disasters - and this is a barrier to sustainable development."

Study: 2nd Gotthard tube leads to traffic collapse

A second Gotthard tube would bring traffic as far as Zurich and Lucerne to a standstill. This is shown by a simulation.

With the 2nd tube, the Gotthard would become the shortest four-lane road connection between northern and southern Europe. This has an impact on traffic throughout Switzerland.
With the 2nd tube, the Gotthard would become the shortest four-lane road connection between northern and southern Europe. This has an impact on traffic throughout Switzerland.

Every morning, hundreds of thousands of people are stuck in traffic jams in the conurbations. The situation will worsen in the coming years. A simulation by the ETH spin-off Senozon now shows: The 2nd tube is the last straw. On Zurich's western bypass, there is no way to get past the traffic jam at any time of the day, in the greater Lucerne area, traffic collapses, and Ticino is overrun. And: With a 4-lane 2nd tube, traffic over the Simplon and San Bernardino passes will increase even more than at the Gotthard itself.

With the 2nd tube, the Gotthard would become the shortest four-lane road connection between northern and southern Europe. "There is no doubt that this route would be used more by international transit traffic," says Caroline Beglinger, co-president of the association "No to the 2nd Gotthard tube" and co-managing director of the VCS. "An increase to 2 million trucks would logically have an enormous impact on the traffic situation." The ETH spin-off Senozon has studied exactly this.

Michael Balmer is CEO of Senozon: "With our mobility model, we can perform detailed analyses of a wide variety of traffic scenarios. We integrate static data into our simulations and can thus make precise statements about the effects of changes, for example in infrastructure, on the traffic situation."

In the Zurich region, there is no getting through because of the 2nd tube: the additional trucks are causing peak traffic jams to widen. At no time of day can you get past the traffic jam on the western bypass. Jon Pult, co-president of the association "No to the 2nd Gotthard tube" and president of the Alpine Initiative says: "The money to improve the situation is missing, because 4 billion have been invested in the 2nd tube without any sense."

The study offers a surprise for the San Bernardino and the Simplon. Because there is often no way through to the Gotthard, the number of trucks in the Valais and Graubünden is clearly increasing. They will even more than double because of the 2nd tube!

A 2nd tube has the greatest impact on the greater Lucerne area. The model calculates that every commuter will have to travel longer every day because of transit trucks - on top of the already enormous traffic load. "Every year, transit traffic alone causes costs in the millions because people from Stans, Altdorf, Emmen, etc. are late for work or deliveries are blocked," says Jon Pult. "Yet the solution is obvious: if you shift transit traffic to the rails instead of building pointless road tubes, the whole country benefits."

Doctors warn
Also the Swiss Doctors for Environmental Protection (AEFU) warn against a second tube: If it is built, it will cause a flood of trucks and thus even more respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Scientists of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel confirm the observations of the local doctors. In addition, the 3 billion Swiss francs for a second tunnel at the Gotthard are missing in the agglomerations, where the massive commuter traffic urgently needs to be organized in a more sustainable way, a Geneva lung specialist explains.

In the cantons of Uri and Ticino, many people already suffer from air pollution, especially caused by trucks. Especially children have more asthma and bronchitis, for example.

How sustainable is Swiss agriculture?

A new Agroscope methodology will help farms assess their sustainability in the future.

Cooperation between mountain and valley operations brings both ecological and economic benefits.
Cooperation between mountain and valley operations brings both ecological and economic benefits.

In the future, farmers should be able to assess the sustainability of their farms using indicators. Agroscope presented new methodological developments in sustainability assessment for farms at the third Sustainability Conference. Several contributions on the topic of milk from Switzerland and Germany illustrated sustainability assessment using practical applications.

"Sustainable food production is based on a sound assessment of sustainability at the farm level," explained Paul Steffen, Head of the Agroscope Institute for Sustainability Sciences INH, at the third Agroscope Sustainability Conference at the Reckenholz site in Zurich. For several years, research institutes in Switzerland have been developing the scientific basis for sustainability assessment for farms. In the process, Agroscope is working with external experts to develop a set of quantitative impact indicators for the areas of environment, economy and society. Components such as resource efficiency, climate, nutrient management, ecotoxicity, biodiversity, soil quality, landscape, animal welfare, social and economic are taken into account. With the knowledge gained from the assessment, farmers can further develop their production in the direction of sustainability.

Cooperation between valley and mountain operations brings benefits

For the assessment of environmental impact, a proven set of tools is already available in the form of the methodology of life cycle assessments. Using the life cycle assessment method SALCA and an economic analysis, the recently completed EU project Cantogether took a close look at the cooperation between valley and mountain farms in rearing. "Contract rearing is a good example of how a production system that was originally based on economic considerations can also have ecological advantages," said Silvia Marton of the Agroscope Life Cycle Assessment Research Group on the ecological and economic success of the division of labor in dairy farming.

In contract rearing, valley farms usually sell their calves to mountain farms, which take over the rearing. After two years, the animals are bought back by the valley farm. This allows the valley farm to concentrate its resources on milk production; the grassland of the mountain farm provides optimal conditions for rearing. This cross-regional cooperation of mountain and valley farms showed a higher eco-efficiency, for example with regard to non-renewable energy resources and the consumption of potassium and phosphorus. While a higher income was achieved on the valley farm, the division of labor on the mountain farm led to lower inputs, but at the same time to a lower income. When deciding for or against contract farming, the social situation of the farm must therefore also be taken into account.

Workload - what is sustainable?

The social aspects of sustainability assessment were the subject of the contribution on workload on farms by Christina Umstätter of Agroscope's Labor, Construction and Systems Assessment Research Group. A good work-life balance has a positive effect on the mental and physical constitution of people, she explained. However, the psychological stress components tend to increase. As an indicator for the sustainability assessment of workload, Umstätter suggests the quotient of actually available workers and required people on the farm.

The contribution of a farm to a varied and beautiful landscape or an animal welfare index are also to be included as indicators in the sustainability assessment in the future. The economic sustainability of a farm is to be assessed on the basis of accounting data.

Indicators: Impact-oriented, measurable, practical

In order to enable the goal of a quantitative assessment of farms, indicators are generally required that are, among other things, impact-oriented, easily measurable and practical. When compiling a set of indicators for the evaluation of farms in Swiss agriculture, existing instruments provide a good basis.

RISE and SMART, two further sustainability assessment tools that are already being used in practice, were presented at the conference. RISE, or Response-Inducing Sustainability Evaluation, is a computer-based method developed at the HAFL University of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences to assess the sustainability of farms. It is based on ten indicators and takes into account ecological, economic and social aspects. The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL has also developed SMART, the Sustainability Monitoring and Assessment RouTine, a tool for assessing the sustainability of companies in the agricultural and food sector. This is based on the SAFA sustainability guidelines (Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO and consists of a database with assessment methodology and a set of indicators.

Application for the analysis of operating strategies

The conference has shown that much has already been achieved on the way to sustainability assessment of farms. However, it also showed that conflicts of objectives often arise between the various dimensions of sustainability, which need to be addressed in an appropriate and solution-oriented manner. The conclusion of the conference: Sustainability assessments should be increasingly used in the analysis of farm strategies.

Method for sustainability assessment with SALCA

Agroscope is developing an assessment system for sustainability that is based on the life cycle approach and includes the three sustainability areas of environment, economy and social issues. For the environmental dimension, the life cycle assessment method SALCA (Swiss Agricultural Life Cycle Assessment) is used, which allows a comprehensive and flexible assessment of agricultural products, production systems and food. For this purpose, the SALCA method is being developed into a sustainability assessment tool. A complete revision of the informatics tools in the SALCAfuture project will create the basis for a rational and automated collection and processing of sustainability indicators.

(Agroscope)

Label Sustainable Building Switzerland officially published

The Sustainable Construction Switzerland label was launched on January 16. The first certifications should be possible from summer 2016.

The new label aims to look at the topic of sustainable building as comprehensively as possible.
The new label aims to look at the topic of sustainable building as comprehensively as possible.

The new Sustainable Construction Switzerland label was officially presented at Swissbau on January 16, 2016. It is based on the "Standard Sustainable Building Switzerland"(SNBS), which was launched in 2014 as a joint effort between the public sector and the construction industry.

The SNBS was supported by the SwissEnergy program as part of the Federal Council's Energy Strategy 2050. By the end of 2018 at the latest, the Swiss Federal Office of Energy will transfer all rights to the standard to the Sustainable Building Network Switzerland cede. The most important representatives of the construction industry and the public sector have organized themselves in this network.

The aim of the label is to cover all aspects of sustainability and Swiss building culture in order to help achieve the goals of the Energy Strategy 2050. According to the SFOE, the label takes contextual factors into account, including the decision to build on the site and uses such as housing, space for businesses, and ground-floor uses. In this way, the label also evaluates the influence of a building on settlement development and available space in Switzerland.

Behind the label is the Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS); a Swiss group with 80,000 employees in 140 offices. SGS is the world's largest inspection and certification company, specializing in labels and has carried out many green building projects.

First of all, however, the label will now be tested; according to the SFOE, the first certifications should be possible from summer 2016.

Beekeeper new partner member at Perikom

Perikom, the professional association for personnel management and internal communication, is growing. Employee engagement" and mobile communication in particular are attracting interested partners. Already at the beginning of 2016, Beekeeper, a Swiss company in the field of IC/HR, joins the innovative association.

The core activities of the professional association essentially include regular events for communications and HR experts, the development of continuing education programs, the initiation and support of research and studies on the topic of "internal communications - finally, an annual Swiss conference HR/Internal Communications.

Especially for companies with a large number of employees without a PC workstation, Perikom offers a useful platform. The association is now defined by thirteen partner members. Cristian Grossmann, CEO and Co-Founder of Beekeeper, explains the interest in Perikom as follows: "We see ourselves not only as a solution provider, but also as a thought leader."

The previous Perikom partner members:

- Beekeeper, www.beekeeper.ch

- GfK Switzerland AG, www.gfk.com

- HWZ University of Applied Sciences Zurich, www.fh-hwz.ch

- Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Business, www.hslu.ch/wirtschaft

- Swiss Public Relations Institute SPRI, www.spri.ch

- Heads Corporate Branding AG, www.heads.ch

- Prime communications agency, www.prime.ch

- Wirz Corporate Communications Agency, www.wirz.ch/wirz-corporate/

- Consulting for organizational development Enzaim - Change by Farner, www.enzaim.com

- Executive Search Consulting smart.heads, www.smartheads.ch

- Event agency standing ovation, www.standingovation.ch

- Yjoo. Communication agency, www.yjoo.ch

- Zurich Society for Human Resource Management, www.zgp.ch

By the way, "Leading and communicating in the mobile working world" is the topic at the next Perikom event, on May 12, 2016.

www.perikom.ch

Switzerland recycles more biowaste than assumed

In Switzerland and Lichtenstein, a total of 1.26 million biogenic wastes are recycled annually in 368 composting and digestion plants.

The amount of biogenic waste recycled in Switzerland each year is surprising.
The amount of biogenic waste recycled in Switzerland each year is surprising.

In Switzerland and Liechtenstein, there is an efficient industry for the disposal of biogenic waste throughout the country (see box). In the total of 368 composting and fermentation plants, an average of more than 154 kilograms of biogenic waste per inhabitant is recycled. This corresponds to a total of 1.26 million tons per year. This means that there are more plants for the treatment of biogenic waste than previously estimated. Significantly more biogenic waste is also collected and recycled than previously assumed. Previous estimates were 250 plants and 990,000 tons per year. This is shown by a new study by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), for which the cantons were directly surveyed for the first time.

According to the study, composting plants are the most common (70 %), followed by agricultural biogas plants (20 %) and industrial-commercial anaerobic digestion plants (7 %). The larger of these facilities recycle more than half of the biogenic waste. The rest is processed in composting and anaerobic digestion plants with a capacity of less than 10,000 tons of waste per year.

The majority of the products from all plants are used in agriculture and horticulture as compost and digestate.

A large proportion of biogenic waste is still not optimally utilized, as there is considerable potential for optimization in the separate collection of organic and green waste. With better utilization, nutrients, soil improvers and renewable energy can be obtained and environmental pollution (pollutants or foreign substances from fertilizers, use of fossil fuels) can be reduced.

IFAT already fully booked

IFAT, the world's leading trade fair for environmental technologies, which will be held in Munich from May 30 to June 3, is already full to capacity with more than 3,000 exhibitors in its 50th year.

On course for success: IFAT in Munich
On course for success: IFAT in Munich

16 fully occupied halls, 230,000 square meters of exhibition space and over 3,000 exhibitors: Demand from companies at IFAT remains high. Waiting lists are already being kept in the water and recycling sectors.

50 years of IFAT
The world's leading trade fair for environmental technology is already in its 50th year in 2016. In 1966, the trade fair started under the name "International Trade Fair for Wastewater Technology" as a presentation platform for the wastewater industry. On an area of 18,000 square meters, 147 exhibitors from nine countries and 7650 visitors from 40 nations took part. At that time, therefore, the event was still quite manageable. Over the years, it established considerable growth rates in all areas - including the newly added ones such as water supply, recycling and municipal technology.

All halls occupied
IFAT 2016 will occupy all 16 halls and parts of the outdoor area, covering a total of 230,000 square meters of exhibition space. 115,000 square meters are allotted to the water and wastewater sector and 115,000 square meters to the recycling and municipal technology sector. In addition, more than 135,000 visitors from all over the world are expected to attend the world's leading trade fair for water, sewage, waste and raw materials management.

Exhibitor database online
Given the number of exhibitors and visitors and the size of the site, good advance planning is essential. An important support for this is the exhibitor directory under www.ifat.de/ausstellerverzeichnis. Here, interested parties can get an initial overview of the halls and the outdoor exhibition area in the "Site plan" section. Detailed information on the exhibitors and their products and services is available in the "Exhibitor search" section. Visitors also have the option of creating a "watch list" to plan all the important stops in advance.

More information: www.ifat.de

Buildings offer enormous energy-saving potential

A new study by Energie Schweiz shows that 15% of energy consumption and 40 % of greenhouse gas emissions could be avoided through efficiency measures in building technology alone.

Thanks to efficient building technology, the energy consumption of buildings can be greatly reduced - despite the growth in usable space.
Thanks to efficient building technology, the energy consumption of buildings can be greatly reduced - despite the growth in usable space.

Around 45 % of Switzerland's energy demand is generated in buildings. A study by SwissEnergy shows the high savings potential in this area. For this purpose, a catalog of 150 efficiency measures was compiled by experts and reviewed by experts from technology, associations and universities in terms of feasibility, relevance and effectiveness.

Great savings potential available
According to this study, the energy demand of buildings could be reduced by 23 % by 2050 with today's marketable technologies and concepts, such as consistent use of best-in-class appliances, and this despite an expected growth in floor space of 30 %. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) decrease by 38 % in this scenario, in part due to a higher share of renewable energy.

If, in addition, more efficiency measures are implemented in building technology, an additional 15 % of energy can be saved and around 40 % of GHG can be avoided, in particular through more efficient heating systems, energy operation optimization and building automation.

Roadmap planned
In order to exploit this savings potential, the building sector, developers, and building owners and operators would have to focus even more specifically on high efficiency and renewable energies in every project - from planning to operation. A roadmap for the building technology industry is planned in order to pursue this potential across the board with a view to the Energy Strategy 2050.

The entire study is available free download.

(BFE)

Climate change burdens middle class

A new study examines the impact of climate change on the middle class worldwide.

More and more people live in cities affected by climate change.
More and more people live in cities affected by climate change.

UBS has conducted a study to investigate the financial impact of climate change and the consequences for the global middle class. To this end, the study examined the consumption behavior of the middle class in 215 cities worldwide. It contrasted consumption patterns with the risks of climate change for the cities in question. The study concludes that people in cities most at risk from climate change, such as Los Angeles, Tokyo and Shanghai, have strikingly different spending priorities. In each national comparison, the middle class in these cities spends between 0.6% and 0.8% more on housing. In the US cities particularly affected by climate change, middle-class residents spend between USD 800 and USD 1,600 per year more, compensating by spending relatively less on luxury goods, entertainment and household durables.

Nearly a quarter of the global population lives in the world's major metropolises, which generate around half of global GDP. This concentration of people and wealth in urban centers is of great importance not only for the domestic economy, but also for globally active companies and investors. Most of the global middle class lives in Southeast Asia, the region with the fastest growing urban population in recent years.

The costs of climate change
The financial cost of climate change-related events to governments and taxpayers is already being felt because, despite the increasing risk of natural disasters, the global middle class is inadequately insured. In the U.S., where insurance coverage is highest in the areas covered by the study, 32% of all weather-related losses are still uninsured. People who do not have access to insurance coverage therefore rely on the safety net established by the U.S. government, which in turn has economic consequences for taxpayers: Between 2011 and 2013, the cost in the U.S. of federal disaster assistance for losses from hurricanes, floods, and droughts was USD 136 billion, or nearly USD 400 per household per year.

In the less developed as well as the emerging countries, the middle class is generally underinsured. Thus, insurance penetration in emerging markets is extremely low compared to property and real estate (e.g. 0.12% in China and 0.07% in India).

Incisive measures necessary
In 2000, nearly half of the world's 6 billion inhabitants lived in cities, and the United Nations expects this number to rise to 60% by 2025. This migration movement triggered by climate development holds enormous potential for conflict.

The U.S. Department of Defense believes that climate change will further "fuel" the already volatile risk situation and could exacerbate existing hostilities and tensions. Example: While there is extensive media coverage of Syrians fleeing war and economic collapse to Europe, the extreme drought from 2006 to 2011 is worth a side note at best. In just five years, Syria lost 85% of its livestock and experienced plummeting crop yields. As a result, the food situation deteriorated among children and 1.5 million rural residents sought their salvation in the city. These living conditions led to protests that culminated in today's civil war.

Temperature increase and mortality
Studies have shown that when temperatures rise above 30 °C, humans struggle to adapt to the new conditions and mortality rates increase. In 2015, nearly 25% of the cities analyzed in the study had a mean annual temperature above 20 °C. According to a study conducted over a ten-year period in 15 European cities, just a 1°C increase above the respective mean temperature in summer causes an estimated 2-3% increase in mortality.

In the long term, temperatures are likely to climb to levels that will not only be problematic for people's health, but will also strain - and potentially damage - physical infrastructure. Given global interconnectedness, even local climate-related incidents have potential impacts on the global economy.

From knowledge to action
However, the study also concludes that the global middle class is becoming increasingly aware of this issue and is beginning to adapt to climate change, even if this adaptation process is still quite hesitant and sporadic. Given the political and social importance of the middle class, increasing economic vulnerability may force policymakers to adopt more innovative policies. But whether investment and innovation will be enough to preserve the prosperity and status of the middle class remains to be seen.

The study is available in full at www.ubs.com/climatechange.

Pause for Watt d'Or - Web Gallery for Energy Projects

The Swiss energy prize Watt d'Or is taking a year's break. Large and small energy projects receive a web platform in return.

The Watt d'Or takes a year off. (Photo: BFE2016)
The Watt d'Or takes a year off. (Photo: BFE2016)

After ten intensive years, the Watt d'Or, the federal government's award for exceptional achievements in the energy sector, is taking a break to regenerate. In 2018, it will return with renewed vigor. However, this does not mean that there will be no Watt d'Or winners until then. On the contrary: the time until the Watt d'Or 2018 belongs to all small and large energy projects of private persons, companies or the public sector, which are realized in our country every day: As of now, you can visit the web gallery www.wattdor4all.ch present

Whether it is a small solar roof, a large energy-efficient building development, a communal energy concept, cantonal energy planning, a biogas plant, a wood district heating network, electric or hydrogen filling stations, wind energy plants, new training and further education courses or future-oriented building technology: in every commune, in every canton, the energy future is becoming a daily reality through these projects. On the web gallery wattdor4all.ch, they are given a showcase where the general public can watch the growth of the new Swiss energy system and rate it by clicking the "Like" button.

All projects realized from July 1, 2015 onwards can register at www.wattdor4all.ch.

Applications for the Watt d'Or 2018 can be submitted from January 1, 2017.

PwC study: Young Workers Index

PwC's "Young Workers Index" shows Switzerland and Germany as the most successful, leading countries in a comparison of employment and education and training of young people.

Switzerland and Germany top the list of the most successful countries in 2014.

The study compares the share of employment and education and training of young people in 34 OECD countries. The index for most countries declined between 2006 and 2011, reflecting the negative impact of the global financial crisis on the young working population. Although many countries experienced a clear upturn after 2011, the average index in 2014 for the entire OECD remained sharply below pre-2006 levels.

If individual countries were to reduce the share of 20-24 year-olds who are not in the labor force or are in education to the level in Germany, most OECD countries would be able to boost their GDP considerably and in the long term. This would result in a potential increase of about one percent for Sweden and Denmark, about three percent for the U.S. and the U.K., and about seven to nine percent for Spain, Greece, Italy and Turkey.

Key findings:

  • Switzerland and Germany top the list of the most successful countries in 2014, followed by Austria, Iceland, Norway and Canada.
  • Although many countries saw a clear upturn after 2011, the average index in 2014 for the OECD as a whole remained sharply below its pre-2006 level.

Based on 2015 GDP values, the OECD's potential long-term GDP could be around USD 1.2 billion.

The multi-page study (presented in English) can be found at:

http://www.pwc.ch/news/en/23690/

Watt d'Or awarded for the tenth time

The Watt d'Or is awarded to companies that are already implementing the energy future today.

The winners of the Watt d'Or 2016. Photo: BFE2016
The winners of the Watt d'Or 2016. Photo: BFE2016

On January 7, the Swiss Federal Office of Energy awarded the prestigious Swiss Energy Prize Watt d'Or for the tenth time.

Innovative Swiss companies and universities are already successfully and courageously putting the energy future into practice. In their honor, the Swiss Federal Office of Energy created the Watt d'Or, the seal of approval for energy excellence, in 2006. The aim of the Watt d'Or is to publicize exceptional achievements in the energy sector and thus motivate business, politics and the general public to discover the benefits of innovative energy technologies for themselves. The Watt d'Or is not endowed, no prize money is distributed and there is no ranking among the winning projects.

49 applications were submitted by the end of July 2015 for the Watt d'Or 2016 and evaluated by a team of experts. Finally, 24 entries were nominated for the final round, from which the jury, chaired by jury president Pascale Bruderer, selected five Watt d'Or 2016 winning projects in five categories. In addition, the jury awarded a Watt d'Or special prize "Corporate Strategy".

CATEGORY SOCIETY
Groupe E - RoadLab
In order to look not only to the past but also to the future at its 100th anniversary, Groupe E has created RoadLab, a two-story bus designed as an energy experimentation laboratory for 13 to 16-year-old students at the orientation level. A project launched as part of the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of Groupe E and the more than 100 years of activity of its founding companies in the energy sector. Since the beginning of 2015, the rolling laboratory has now been traveling with great success to all secondary schools in the cantons of Fribourg and Neuchâtel, as well as in the Broye and Pays-d'Enhaut regions of Vaud, which are part of Groupe E's distribution network. The Watt d'Or 2016 in the Society category goes to Groupe E, which brings the fascinating world of energy closer to young adults.

CATEGORY ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES
Elektroplan Buchs & Grossen AG and ElektroLink AG - The SmartGridready Building
Ready for the smart, networked energy future is the SmartGridready office building in Frutigen. Thanks to intelligent building control and optimized load management, this energy-efficient building demonstrates how energy consumption and solar power production from its own roof can be optimally coordinated. The Watt d'Or 2016 in the Energy Technologies category goes to Elektroplan Buchs & Grossen AG and ElektroLink AG for proving that Swiss electrical planners can make our buildings fit for the future.

CATEGORY RENEWABLE ENERGIES
Designergy SA - The triactive roof element TCR
Integration is the leitmotif of Designergy SA from San Vittore in the canton of Graubünden. This is not only reflected in the name of the young company, a play on words from design and energy. Integration is also at the heart of their visionary product: just as a smartphone combines the functions of a phone, camera and computer, the novel roof element called TCR (Triactive Core Roof) combines three essential functions: Thermal insulation, waterproofing and power generation through photovoltaics. All integrated and prefabricated in one unit. The Watt d'Or 2016 in the Renewable Energies category goes to Designergy SA for a world first that stands out not only for its simple, rapid installation, but also for its appealing design and low cost.

CATEGORY ENERGY EFFICIENT MOBILITY
SBB AG - Green wave in rail traffic - ADL
As part of its energy strategy, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) aims to consistently save energy throughout the Group by 2025, particularly in the electricity consumption of its passenger and freight trains. After all, Europe's busiest rail network consumes more than 1,800 gigawatt hours of electricity a year - the equivalent of 460,000 households. A major contribution to the energy-saving program is made by the "Green Wave (Adaptive Steering - ADL)" system. The system calculates the optimum energy profile for each train and transmits the optimum speed to the locomotive crew as driving recommendations. This avoids unplanned stops and braking maneuvers and, above all, energy-intensive restarts. The 2016 Watt d'Or in the energy-efficient mobility category goes to SBB for its innovative, globally unique ADL system, which has been operating successfully for around a year.

CATEGORY BUILDING AND SPACE
Swisscom AG and Ernst Basler + Partner - New construction Swisscom Businesspark Ittigen
Swisscom's new Ittigen Business Park is located directly on the A1 motorway. What is special about it is the consistent coordination of the technology with the building. In combination with the innovative lung ventilation concept, this has resulted in an outstanding overall concept: The new building is impressive not only in terms of energy efficiency (Minergie-P-Eco) and comfort, but also in terms of costs and operational reliability. For this groundbreaking project, Swisscom AG and Ernst Basler + Partner (EBP) were awarded the Watt d'Or 2016 in the Buildings and Space category.

WATT D'OR 2016 - SPECIAL "CORPORATE STRATEGY" AWARD

Coop Group - Energy and CO2 vision: actions instead of words
CO2 neutrality, a 20 percent reduction in absolute energy consumption compared to 2008, and an increase in the share of renewable energy sources to 80 percent - these are Coop's declared goals by 2023. The major distributor is on track: By 2014, energy consumption had already fallen by around 6 percent and CO2 emissions by over 20 percent. For this ambitious target, which is embedded in a comprehensive sustainability strategy, Coop receives the Watt d'Or 2016 Special Award Corporate Strategy.

Migros - Generation M
Migros has been committed to energy efficiency and other sustainability issues for decades. Now it is receiving the 2016 Watt d'Or Special Award for its "Generation M" sustainability program. In it, Migros promises the generation of tomorrow to reduce electricity consumption by 10 percent in absolute terms and greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020 compared to 2010.

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