TAP goes NEST

An ideal introduction to the informative - but also convivial - occasion of the visit to NEST was the lunch offered by the Department. This not only filled the hungry stomachs of the almost 40 TAP members, but also provided an opportunity to get to know each other and make contacts beyond one's own group.

As an introduction to the topic and research fields, Loris Pandiani, Communications & Event Manager of EMPA, took us on a short virtual tour of NEST and answered our first questions. After this informative part, we were guided in 3 groups through a total of 5 sub-areas in the modular construction of NEST.  

At NEST the new Sprint module is an office unit built largely from recycled materials. Sprint aims to set new standards for circular construction. However, the office unit is also a reaction to the current COVID-19 situation, which made it clear that we need to adapt our buildings more flexible and quickly to changing needs.

Urban Mining & Recycling – or UMAR as this unit is called at NEST is a residential module fully constructed from reusable, recyclable, and compostable materials and offers housing to two students. At the same time, as an active lab it will also help to advance the construction industry's transition to a recycling economy.

Following the principle of "High Performance – Low Emissions", the HiLo unit demonstrates how attractive architecture can be when combining energy- and resource-saving construction and operation. The unit brings together innovative planning and design methods for efficient structures in concrete with self-learning and adaptive building technologies.

DFAB HOUSE is the world's first inhabited "house" that was not only digitally planned, but also – with the help of robots and 3D printers – built largely digitally. The construction technologies were developed by ETH Zurich researchers in collaboration with industrial partners.

In the Water Hub at NEST also contributes to the further development of promising solutions for reducing water consumption and using various substances in wastewater: Eawag tests systems that make the most efficient and versatile use of water and wastewater. The economical use of water is just as important worldwide as the sustainable use of energy resources.