Technologies for ZeroEmission Buildings



Thursday, 13. September 2012 | 9:15 Uhr

Speaker

Hansjürg Leibundgut

Organisation

ETH Zurich

Reporting

Professor Hansjürg Leibundgut from ETH Zurich supported the simplification of energy-efficient measures in the construction sector. A glance back shows that as early as 1878, mankind had the possibility to take another road – with a solar steam engine developed by A. Mouchot on the occa-sion of the Universal Exhibition in Paris. However, the two men Otto and Diesel invented the engine, Daimler added the ignition plug and it was discovered how fuel can be obtained from crude oil. To-day, the signs point back to nature. To Leibundgut, the sun as the number one source of energy is a priority. He aims for buildings that are self-sufficient with respect to energy through solar panels for hot water and electricity and through heat pumps for heating. Thus, Leibundgut does not consider today’s “Minergie” standard as the salvation, but rather advocates “Sol2ergie”. This means on-site energy production, combined with simple ventilation, a simple façade and simple controls. The newly developed system is characterized by the fact that the building’s heating system is connected to a heat source. The core of this energy concept are two circuits: one of them in the ground stores the energy and releases it via heat pump to the house as needed. The second circuit in the house itself ensures that excess heat is removed again.

Hansjürg Leibundgut

Born in 1949 in Rüegsau (canton of Berne), he studied mechanical engineering at the ETH Zurich, with the main focus of his studies on reactor technology and fluid dynamics. During his time as a scientific assistant at the Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, he became involved in the fields of solar technology and absorption technology. He concluded his time at the ETH with a dissertation on these two specialist subjects.
After 4 years’ industrial experience in the R&D sector of absorption refrigeration technology, he transferred to Zurich’s cantonal administration and was soon appointed to a senior position with responsibility for energy, air quality and technology in 1,500 public buildings.
In 1989, he returned to the private sector and became part-owner and senior engineer with Amstein + Walthert AG. Within this company, he developed the specialist areas of HLKSE (HVAC, plumbing and electricity = house technology), facility management, dynamic building simulation, etc. and supervised more than 100 projects for a wide variety of architects.
Hansjürg Leibundgut has been Professor of Building Services at the Institute of Building Technology of the ETH Zurich since September 2005. The Institute is part of the Faculty of Architecture. He is a partner in the company Amstein + Walthert in Zurich.
Due to a lack of suitable construction components, he developed various new products in conjunction with Swiss industrial partners.

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