At yesterday's General Meeting of BS2 AG, which he founded together with the construction and real estate entrepreneur Balz Halter in 2004, Hansjürg Leibundgut said farewell to his colleagues on the Board of Directors and the BS2 shareholders. His tireless commitment to a future without fossil fuels was honored by long-time companions. "Hansjürg Leibundgut's irrepressible drive to innovate the construction industry and the building stock in the interests of society and the environment, as well as his incorruptible way of thinking and acting, have not always been met with joy and approval. However, there is no doubt today that he was right about a great many things and had a lasting influence on our industry and brought it forward." lifted Courtship holder in his laudatory speech.

Also Adrian Altenburger, Institute and Course Director Engineering & Architecture at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and SIA Vice President has fond memories of the years of cooperation: "There have been few people in my professional career who have inspired me both professionally and personally. Hansjürg Leibundgut was one of them. With his argumentatively strong and challenging manner, he often took me out of my comfort zone during our time together at Amstein + Walthert, but always generated added value not only in the matter at hand, but also for me."

From "Mephisto of energy" to recognized pioneer
Leibundgut was also politically active and often provoked others in order to draw attention to his cause. It is hardly surprising that he caused offence in the process. For example, he was publicly called a fantasist, visionary, utopian, obsessive, driven, and even the Mephisto of energy. In the documentary film "Energy Pioneers" of the Swiss director Samuel Stefan means Leibundgut, all these designations would be quite true and complemented: "A utopia is not in itself a bad thing. It's a picture you draw that corresponds to paradise." In this film presents with Bertrand Piccard another visionary posed the following question: "Are those crazy who don't want to change anything or are they the pioneers who want to change everything? The future will show who was crazy. The problem is that by then it may be too late."

From ETH to the market
Just so that it won't be too late and Leibundgut's numerous inventions could be combined into an emission-free heating system, innovative companies from the building technology sector and the construction industry have Alliance 2SOL was launched in the fall of 2013 to great media acclaim. Together and based on Leibundgut's approaches, they have coordinated technical components from different manufacturers and the trades involved, thus creating a marketable system principle. The Alliance 2SOL association is committed to an emission-free building stock and supports building owners and experts as a contact point and competence center. Allianz 2SOL does not offer any commercial services or products. This is in contrast to BS2 AG, which is a founding member of the 2SOL Alliance and offers not only the technical components for an emission-free building energy system, but also all the services required for its planning and realization. This total package is called BS2 Zeleganz and received recognition in 2017 from the jury of SIA Prudence.

"The Zeleganz system consistently focuses on an energy supply without fossil energy sources and at the same time again allows greater architectural freedom in the area of the building envelope - for both new and existing buildings. How a competitive product range has been developed from the innovative systemic approach, which at the same time allows economic synergies, is encouraging and exemplary for a successful technology transfer in the cleantech sector." is the jury's conclusion.

Marc Daetschmann, CEO of BS2 AG since 2014, says of his former professor: "Working with Hansjürg Leibundgut was always exciting - whether at his professorship at ETH or together with him at BS2. The ideas and new approaches to solving any technical challenge just bubbled out of him. I still admire how consistently and goal-oriented he pursued his ideas and did not allow himself to be diverted from his path even by great resistance. This "spirit" lives on in BS2. We feel it every day. For us as representatives of the younger generation, the great trust he placed in young people and the support he always gave them is unique. We proudly continue to pursue his vision of an emission-free building park."

 Leibundgut was always concerned with the matter at hand, with logic, with precise thinking and with physical realities
For him, his personal prestige was never in the foreground, but the effect of his actions. He wanted to make a difference in the interests of society and the environment. This urge and his incorruptible thinking and acting did not only win him friends. But because he was concerned with the cause and the effect, he put up with it. As a result, he not only made a big difference, but changed the thinking in many people's minds.

The energy pioneer passes the torch
The members of the Board of Directors and shareholders as well as the employees of BS2 AG very much regret Leibundgut's departure from the Board of Directors of BS2 AG, but can well understand his decision. He has also achieved more than enough for this company so that he could not in good conscience hand over tasks and responsibilities to younger forces. We would like to thank him for the journey we have been able to take with him and wish him all the best.

Related links: ETH Zurich - Emeritus professors 

Panasonic deals with complex supply chains on a daily basis: Every transport service pollutes the environment with CO2 emissions. This is because the infrastructure, processing and transport of letters, parcels and goods consume energy. With Swiss Post's "pro clima" shipping program, the CO2 emissions generated can be offset by paying a small surcharge. Panasonic pays Swiss Post a small surcharge and will have all deliveries sent with the "pro clima" label from August 2020. This means that not only letters, but also parcels and goods will travel climate-neutrally.

Selection of climate protection projects

All climate protection projects in which "pro clima" contributions are invested meet the highest standards. National projects meet the ISO 14064-2 guidelines, international projects comply with the Gold Standard. A monitoring committee consisting of WWF Switzerland, ETH Zurich, the Swiss Working Group of Youth Associations, oikos International and the Foundation for Consumer Protection supports Swiss Post in the pre-selection of projects that meet these standards. Using online voting, business customers of the "pro clima" mailing service and Swiss Post employees decide which international project should be supported.

Current climate protection projects

Storing farmyard manure such as slurry and dung is part of farming operations, but it also leads to the formation of methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas. Swiss Post therefore supports biogas plants on Swiss farms that generate heat and electricity from the greenhouse gas. Swiss Post is also supporting a climate protection project in Cambodia. For many Cambodians, gas and electricity are unfortunately still not a matter of course. Biogas plants in rural areas recycle water and livestock manure into biogas, which can be used as a clean fuel: Kitchens remain smoke-free, there is light in the dwellings, and the residents' respiratory systems are protected. The environment also benefits: The biogas plants supported by Swiss Post reduce CO2 emissions in Cambodia by more than 95,000 tons year after year.

Not the first and last climate-friendly project from Panasonic

Panasonic Switzerland is very concerned about the environment. The company is constantly working to optimize processes and make them more climate-friendly. This year, for example, the fleet in Rotkreuz was equipped with ten new plug-in hybrid vehicles. "For us, sustainability is the central theme in all areas of the company. Thus, it was clear that we chose a product with the lowest possible emission values when renewing the fleet," says Philipp Maurer, Country Manager of Panasonic Switzerland. He adds, "We expect to save around 10,000 liters of fuel per year with these measures and thus further reduce our CO2 emissions."

For more information about the "pro clima" mailing service of Swiss Post, please see here

Banking city, scene, culture and media metropolis... Zurich becomes crime scene city. More precisely, on October 18 (SRF, 8.05 p.m.). That's when the city joins the circle of German-speaking Sunday crime cities, according to Swiss television. SRF has set itself the goal of working out a systematic and long-term sustainability strategy for its film and series productions. This is intended to reduce the carbon footprint of in-house productions in the future, but also of the industry as a whole. The first of these is the new Tatort from Zurich, which has been selected as a pilot project.

SRF receives support in the concrete collection of CO2 emissions data from the Swiss climate protection foundation myclimate, which has compiled a list of ecological sustainability measures. In terms of implementation, the production company Zodiac Pictures AG is actively involved in the project.

Green Filming in Switzerland 

The new Tatort also consumed quite a bit of energy. Producing one hour of TV programming causes an average of 13.5 tons of CO2 - that's according to a study by the British Film Academy BAFTA. In London City alone, audiovisual production produces around 125,000 tons of CO2 annually, which corresponds to emissions from a good 24,000 households. Together with the Swiss climate protection foundation myclimate, Zodiac Pictures AG identified ways in which the crime scene from Zurich could be approached in a more climate-friendly way.

So Dr. Bettina Kahlert from myclimate Team Leader Efficiency Consulting first evaluated benchmarks for how much energy such a shoot consumes in pre- and post-production, and finally also on location. For example, 32 tons of CO2 equivalents were used for electricity and lighting during the shoot in Zurich in November 2019, with the largest share being used for mobility (e.g. transport of people and materials).

For a shoot for the crime scene from Lucerne, 15 tons of a total of 38 CO2 emissions for hotel accommodations were once still on the books; for the crime scene from Zurich, it was only five tons, "because most of the crew members live in Zurich and we otherwise used more climate-friendly overnight accommodations," Jessica Hefti from Zodiac Pictures explains the first comparative values.

Jessica Hefti, TV Producer from Zurich: "Tatort Zürich brought together 38 new actors*, some of whom were working in a climate-friendly way for the first time, they all enthusiastically embraced it."

More insights about the new crime scene from Zurich and surveys by myclimate Switzerland can be found in the Umwelt PERSPEKTIVEN (2020_03) 

The Swiss foundation Focal, whose goal is "to develop and promote the creative, technical and entrepreneurial skills of professionals in the fields of film, audiovisual and new media," has a comprehensive Manual published how films can be produced in a more environmentally conscious way, more details on "Green Filmmaking" at:

 focal.ch

B Corp certification advocates for external, independent and credible recognition of sustainable companies. Evian-Volvic Suisse (EVS), which also carries water brands such as Volvic in its range, is proud to join the movement of companies committed to building sustainable, ethical and inclusive business models. Recently, Evian-Volvic Suisse proclaimed Danone's status as an 'Entreprise à Mission'. This status also represents the continuation of Danone's 'double projet' as well as the formalization of the company's vision of 'One Planet. One Health'.

Measures for the good of all

The B Corp Certification™ is awarded by the independent and non-profit organization B LabTM. It is a demanding label that recognizes companies that meet the highest social, environmental and transparency standards and assume legal corporate responsibility.

B Corp's assessment categories include environment, community, employees, governance and business model. Specifically, a whole range of measures taken by Evian-Volvic Suisse as well as our brands are included in this certification:

• A decisive measure is the amendment of the EVS statutes and the addition to them of two articles on our social and environmental objectives.
• This year, we will use 100% recycled PET (rPET) for all bottles.
• evian and Volvic are certified as climate-neutral worldwide by Carbon Trust.
• To conserve natural water resources, evian and Volvic have been working for years with local communities through the public-private partnerships APIEME (evian) and CEPIV (Volvic) 3.
• Promoting a work environment that combines safety, well-being and flexibility for all employees, as well as policies such as those regarding an environmentally friendly office.
• The Evian-Volvic Suisse team is committed to combating littering in public spaces by participating in 'Clean-Up Day' as part of its volunteer work.
• During the lockdown, EVS employees performed community service. evian Suisse supported the Swiss Red Cross and Swiss Solidarity through donations.
• EVS is committed to healthy hydrogenation. After all, water is and remains the healthiest form of hydrogenation.

B Corp - an important part of the #WeActForWater movement.

B Corp certification is a milestone on the long road to sustainability. Evian-Volvic Suisse's next step is to join the Swiss Triple Impact (STI), a program initiated by B Lab Switzerland that aims to align the Swiss ecosystem with a resilient and sustainable economy.

Jonathan Normand, Founder and Director of B Lab Switzerland: "B Lab Switzerland is pleased to welcome EvianVolvic Suisse (EVS) to the B Corp community. EVS, as part of Danone, is one of the leading companies in the field of healthy hydration and is actively committed to improving the impact of its activities. The joint commitment of EVS and Danone Waters to sustainability initiatives is an example of how business can contribute to the common good," said Jonathan Normand. "The certification does not mark the end of the journey, but only the beginning. The Swiss B Corp community and we look forward to working with EVS to enable all of our stakeholders to realize their sustainability potential."

Frederic Haas, Country Manager Evian-Volvic Suisse: "Being recognized as a B Corp and receiving this certification makes us very proud. It is a continuation of our 'double project économique et social' and the 'One Planet. One Health' vision. This marks the beginning of a new stage, as B Corp, in our journey towards sustainable growth with a positive impact on society and nature. Because we do not want to become the best company in the world, but the best company for the world."

(Source: Evian-Volvic Suisse)

More information about the #WeActForWaterMovement

The National Council's Environment Committee wants to strengthen the circular economy in Switzerland. To this end, in May it published a parliamentary initiative and has now appointed a sub-commission. The sub-commission is to "examine the various concerns of the initiative in depth and, with the involvement of affected industries, prepare a preliminary draft for the attention of the plenary commission," it says in a Communication of the Environmental Commission.

The initiative of the Environmental Commission provides, among other things, that waste must be recycled as long as this is technically feasible and economically viable. This applies in particular to metals, building materials and phosphorus. The federal government should also be able to oblige manufacturers and retailers to use packaging made from recyclable materials. In addition, it should operate a platform to promote the Swiss circular economy.

The Environment Committee of the Council of States supports the initiative from the National Council committee. However, it must have "innovative and forward-looking framework conditions that are based on the needs of the economy and society," it wrote in an Media release in June. The federal government must also set a good example, he said. "Then the chances are great that the draft will meet with broad support."

Further resolutions of the Environmental Commission of the National Council can be found at here

Image of the EPFL laboratory showing an interesting size ratio of bacterial diameters.

EPFL's Laboratory of Complex Matter Physics (LPMC) has discovered that a filter membrane made of titanium oxide nanowires is able to capture pathogens and destroy them with daylight. Masks with this filter can be sterilized and reused thousands of times. This would alleviate bottlenecks and significantly reduce the amount of waste from disposable surgical masks. In addition, these filter membranes would also be usable in ventilation and air conditioning systems.

The environmental impact of used disposable masks, which are made of layers of non-woven polypropylene plastic microfibers, is also not negligible, according to a Communication of the EPFL. Moreover, they merely trap pathogens instead of destroying them. "In a hospital, these masks are stored in special containers and treated accordingly," warns the head of the LPMC, László Forró.

His team's filter material takes advantage of the photocatalytic properties of titanium oxide. "Because our filter absorbs moisture exceptionally well, it can trap droplets that carry viruses and bacteria," Forró said. "This creates a favorable environment for the oxidation process, which is triggered by light."

A corresponding article by the researchers was published on Friday in the scientific journal "Advanced Functional Materials" was published. Based on their results, the researchers assume that the method is successful with a variety of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. However, this remains to be proven experimentally.

Their article goes on to say that the production of such membranes would be feasible on a large scale. The laboratory's facilities alone are capable of producing material for 80,000 masks per month. The start-up company Swoxid is already preparing to outsource the technology from the lab.

actu.epfl.ch

Marlon Keller takes over the management of the business unit "Sustainable Building" and strengthens intep's management team as a member of the executive board. Marlon Keller holds an MSc in Environmental Sciences from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) and an MAS in Energy Engineering for Buildings from the University of Applied Sciences (HSLU). In recent years, he was responsible for the Zurich branch management of W&P Engineering and, as managing director, led JamS AG, an affiliated spin-off in the field of safety engineering. Prior to that, he was a research associate at ETH in Zurich and at the Future Cities Laboratory at the Singapore ETH Centre.

"We are very pleased to welcome Marlon Keller, a proven expert in sustainable and energy-efficient construction, to our management team," said René Sigg, CEO of intep. "With his extensive experience in sustainable construction, we will be able to successfully implement our clients' future resource and zero carbon strategies."

intep.com

Thanks to the electric motor aircraft based in Switzerland, the FOCA, together with the aviation authorities of France and Slovenia and the manufacturer Pipistrel, was able to access important data from a test flight program under EASA flight conditions. The certification could thus be completed in less than three years. With this project, EASA and FOCA have not only gathered a great deal of know-how about electric aircraft, but have also laid the foundation for the certification of low-emission aircraft with environmentally friendly propulsion systems.

This benefits the climate and the population, as the use of electric aircraft also significantly reduces noise pollution in light aviation.

Convincing technology

The Pipistrel Velis Electro electric aircraft belongs to the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) category and is equipped with an E-811 electric motor, which produces 57.6 kilowatts (78 hp) during takeoff for a maximum duration of 90 seconds, while cruise power is limited to 49.2 kW (67 hp). The two propulsion batteries with a nominal voltage of 345 volts have a capacity of 11 kilowatt hours each. According to the manufacturer, a flight time of 50 minutes plus a reserve of 10 minutes is possible. The Pipistrel Velis Electro will be used in particular for basic pilot training. Holders of a private pilot's license can take a briefing during 5 flights.

Meanwhile EASA certified 

In mid-May 2020, EASA granted approval for the electric motor, shortly afterwards for the aircraft, and last week the maiden flight took place. Before the Pipistrel Velis Electro became the world's first electric aircraft to receive a type certificate, the conditions for operation, maintenance and training of pilots and personnel had to be defined and specified from scratch. These were not included in the previously applicable EASA certification framework. The FOCA played a leading role in the development of these new certification conditions.

www.bazl.admin.ch

The Covid 19 pandemic, explains epidemiologist Tolullah Oni in a recent technical article on the WEF site , has raised awareness of the significant deficiencies in urban infrastructure. The lack of attention paid to the interactions between human health, natural systems and the urban environment is also becoming more apparent, she adds. Although the health of the planet is determined by these factors.

On the "vulnerable" infrastructure 

The focus has been too much on securing wealth and food, which has led to greater motorization in cities, without regard for the need to provide space for physical activity in clean air. The way houses have been built so far increases the risk of disease transmission, he said. "We can and must do better by launching a bold new investment program for the health of the planet," writes Tolullah Oni, Clinical Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge and Honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town.

The epidemiologist from the University of Cambridge calls for a global Marshall Plan for planetary health. She is one of the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum.

Concrete initiatives 

At best, Oni believes, the failure to decisively address the negative impacts of today's urban environment represents a missed opportunity to enable healthy communities. At worst, it actively contributes to disease risk and transmission. She cites increased corona mortality among the poorer population in the UK as an example of negative impacts of failed housing policies.

Although several global philanthropic initiatives have certainly tried, even with success, to improve urban health, today's flawed systems need more fundamental change. Says Oni: "Simply put, the world needs a new Marshall Plan for planetary health - much like a New Deal for post-pandemic recovery."

Governments and sectors 

Governments as well as the private sector are challenged, policy makers need to act, and better health and resilience of people, for example in big cities, should not be seen as a consequence of their economic successes, but as a goal of new urban planning from the outset. Such approaches already exist, he said, from Bhutan in the Himalayas with its happiness factor in the measurement of gross domestic product to New Zealand, where a so-called wellbeing economy is being pursued.

"This is where multilateral development finance institutions (MDFIs), such as the African and Asian Development Banks, could help," Oni writes. As noncommercial organizations that provide capital for economic development projects in a wide range of member countries, such institutions are uniquely positioned to advance the Marshall Plan-style scheme through conditionality in lending and funding, he says.

To the article in English by Tolullah Oni on the site of the World Economic Forum

The acronym ESG has become established to identify sustainable investments. These three letters describe three sustainability-related areas of corporate responsibility: Environment, Social and Governance.

The non-profit and independent Luxembourg Finance Labelling Agency (LuxFlag) has awarded the ESG seal to the Geneva-based Decalia Group's Circular Economy Fund. According to a Media release of Decalia, the institute has established itself as a "benchmark for the sustainable investment market."

A fund with principles 

The fund was launched in 2016 and is the first global investment fund to focus on the circular economy. "The fund was created in response to the over-exploitation and over-consumption of our planet's natural resources," the statement said. The circular economy, it said, offers a way out of this impasse by designing products and services that can be easily refurbished, reused and recycled. Rentals and a right to use are preferred to ownership. In addition, renewable energies are used.

"The fund is now based on five principles," explains Decalia's Clément Maclou. "These are the optimization of natural resources, the recovery of waste, the extension of the useful life of products, the sharing economy and the product-as-a-service business model, with which customers purchase a right to use a product."

"We are delighted that Decalia Circular Economy has been recognized by LuxFlag," says Decalia Funds Head Xavier Guillon. "It reinforces our development strategy, which focuses on paradigm shifts that will have a long-term impact on the global economy." (Source: Decalia)

Last year, Zug-based building materials group LafargeHolcim hailed ORIS as the "world's first digital building materials platform". presented. It is intended to help optimize the planning of road projects via the intelligent use of local resources and materials.

Efficiency through AI

For example, ORIS can evaluate road pavement plans from different perspectives and recommend efficient construction and maintenance options. According to LafargeHolcim, ORIS can cut road project and construction costs by up to a third and CO2 emissions by up to half. At the same time, the durability and service life of roads can be tripled. ORIS is now to be developed together with IBM Services be further developed, as can be seen from a Media release emerges.

In doing so, LafargeHolcim intends to draw on IBM's expertise in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning or the Internet of Things (IoT).

"Data-driven solutions and digital technologies have the potential to transform road construction toward a more sustainable circular economy, making it lower-carbon, more resource-efficient and more cost-effective," said Hervé Rolland, vice president, Industrial Solutions at IBM Europe. Through IBM Services, IBM helps companies develop solutions that accelerate digitization. (Source: IBM)