ENERGY - Institute of Applied Research in Energy Systems

Towards simpler and more efficient energy systems

The ENERGY institute promotes and supports the development of sustainable communities by optimizing energy production and energy management. Our projects respond to issues and opportunities created by major energy trends such as climate change, the phasing-out of nuclear power, and the growth of the renewable energy sector.

From pure research to real-world application

As a specialist in transforming fundamental research into new technologies, the ENERGY institute is the ideal R&D partner for companies and public institutions.

Collaborations in various sectors

The ENERGY institute is active in the sector of electrical and thermal energy production and distribution, as well as in other sectors including construction, technical equipment manufacturing, and infrastructure for the energy and construction industries.

Swiss research networks

The ENERGY institute participates in national research networks, in particular through its involvement in Smart Living Lab.

Research focus areas

The ENERGY institute specializes in bridging the gap between pure and applied research, making it the ideal R&D partner for innovative companies and public institutions. Our project partners receive valuable support in their efforts to create new products and services.

Electrical and thermal networks

Design, modelling, simulation and device testing for electrical and thermal networks
Management, optimization and energy integration of individual and coupled networks

Our projects focus on the following areas in particular:

Electrical networks, their systems and components
Thermal networks, their systems and components
Micro-networks and the coupling of electrical and thermal networks

Buildings and neighborhoods: energy efficiency and environmental impact

Urban heat islands
Life cycle analysis (LCA) in the built environment (circular economy, choice of materials)
Building physics and technical installations
Performance gap
Building-user interaction (including post-occupancy evaluation)
Development of decision-making tools, particularly in the area of LCA

The institute is especially active in the following areas:

Climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the environmental approach to construction
Energy systems: modelling, simulation, optimization, development, integration and monitoring
Monitoring and optimization of energy efficiency at the building and neighborhood scales

Facilities

The ENERGY institute is fully equipped for advanced research and development in the field of energy production and management. Our facilities feature building performance monitoring infrastructure as well as dedicated laboratories for electrical machines, thermal and energetic analysis, electrical networks, high voltage testing, and renewable energy integration.

Equipment