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| April 2025 |
| News from Regenerative Materials at ETH |
Dear reader,
In these times of great uncertainty—amid climate change, rising social inequalities, and global conflicts—it can be difficult to stay focused on our daily work.
Regenerative materials help ground our efforts in solutions that bring immediate benefits to the health of inhabitants and the local economy while also contributing, in the long run, to global climate and biodiversity impacts.
By reconnecting our actions with our values, they offer not only tangible benefits but also a glimpse of hope.
The second edition of Designing for Hope: Pathways to Regenerative Sustainability by Chrisna Du Plessis and Dominique Hes has just been released.
This newsletter is a celebration of the incredible energy emerging from regenerative initiatives at ETH Zurich.
Prof. Dr. Guillaume Habert
Dr. Arnaud Evrard
ETH - Chair of Sustainable Construction |
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| CAS ETH in Regenerative Materials – Essentials 2025 |
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| The second module "Earth Construction" of the CAS ETH in Regenerative Materials - Essentials concluded on March 7, 2025 in the remarkable architectural space of Atelier AHA (Atelier Krecl). The second module, "Earth Construction," of the CAS ETH in Regenerative Materials – Essentials concluded on March 7, 2025, in the remarkable architectural space of Atelier AHA (Atelier Krecl). We had the privilege of engaging with top experts in the field and witnessing the development of the most promising earth-based building techniques. While various perspectives were explored, one conclusion stood out: . |
The next module "Bio-based Construction" begins on April 7, 2025. It will provide a comprehensive overview of the most innovative building techniques using bio-based materials such as straw, hemp, grass, timber, typha, and mycelium. The program will feature lectures on cutting-edge products, exemplary case studies, construction details, renovation strategies, and building physics. These will be complemented by site visits to inspiring projects, hands-on workshops, and interactive discussions.
One highlight will undoubtedly be the Hands-on Bio-Based!
Once again, we are very grateful to the many guests who have generously agreed to share their knowledge and expertise. Participants inthis upcoming module will get the chance to meet and learn from the following experts:
Alexandre Akchoti (Structura C); Christian Roggman (Gramitherm); Christian Büchel (Lanatherm); Georgi Georgiev (Georgiev Consulting); Christophe Prébandier (Ecococon); André Stephan (UMelbourne); Olga Beatrice Carcassi (Columbia University); Corentin Dalon (Bento); Vincent Pierré (Terranergie); Elodie Simon (2401); Werner Schmidt (Atelier Werner Schmidt); Patrick Meng (Verein Labör); Alex Bradley (Verein Labör); Guilhem Douillet (Isoterra Bautech); Arnaud Evrard (ETHZ/Sustainable Construction); Guillaume Habert (ETHZ/Sustainable Construction). |
A special thanks to:
- Structura C, Gramitherm, Ecococon for their support
- Labör and Isoterra for their help in organizing the hands-on workshop
- Structura C, Gramitherm, Ecococon and Briqueterie Lanter for the materials and samples provided. |
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| Think Earth – Regenerative Construction |
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Researchers and implementation partners from Think Earth Subproject 8 – Hybrid Construction Elements, recently toured the HORTUS building near Basel. As both a member of the Think Earth project and a project architect at Herzog de Meuron, Alexander Franz led the group through various parts of the building, sharing insights from the design, planning, and construction phases.
With the project nearing completion, the tour provided a unique opportunity to explore the building’s timber structure and rammed-earth elements before the occupancy phase begins in this pioneering project.
A special thank you to Alexander Franz for hosting the tour and sharing his expertise during discussions in our Think Earth Innosuisse Flagship.
The foundations for this climate-friendly office building HORTUS - offering approximately 12,000 m² of usable space—were developed by SENN in collaboration with the project teams from Herzog & de Meuron and ZPF Ingenieure. Blumer Lehmann prepared the timber construction for execution and worked with Lehm Ton Erde on the clay construction. A dedicated production facility was set up on site for the project. This was used to fill the ceiling elements with the local excavations and process them into rammed earth. Following this project, Blumer Lehmann, Lehm Ton Erde and GBD have partnered with Lehmit to develop new timber-earth hybrid solutions and bringing us one step closer to achieving net zero construction.
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| Exhibition and Book – Materia Architectures |
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Earth, stone and fibers have conquered contemporary architecture.Thousands of projects, of high technical, ecological and aesthetic quality, are emerging on all five continents. The democratization of the use of these materials, which are not energy-intensive and are available in abundance on the planet, contributes greatly to reducing the exploitation of non-renewable resources and limits the energy needs of buildings.
A challenge for contemporary architecture, the use of materials from the soil and fields is one of the most optimistic ways to build for the future, giving new meaning to the building trades. Local resource sectors are organizing and developing, creating jobs that strengthen the economic activity of the regions. Bio-based and geo-based materials are essential for thinking about post-carbon architecture and contribute to the ecological and social transition.
The Materia Award, which follow on from the two editions of Fibra architectures (2019) and TerraFibra (2021), is dedicated to contemporary architecture in earth, stone and plant fibers. It is founded by Les grands ateliers, Amàco, Les compagnons du devoir, the Chair of Sustainable Construction of ETH and Le pavillon de l’arsenal.
The book and the exhibition showcase the construction advantages, the environmental benefits and above all the beauty and pertinence of the 40 rewarded buildings .Through these projects, we aim to enhance the visibility and credibility of regenerative materials among professionals and the general public alike. Ultimately, these 40 rewarded projects highlight the courage of the clients who chose these materials, the creativity of the designers and the know-how of the craftsmen and contractors.
Congratulation to all!
Many thanks to the Ricola Foundation for its generous financial support in publishing the exhibition book.
More information here: https://www.materiaaward.com/en.
Visit Materia Architectures exhibition
Until April 26th 2025
Césure,13 rue Santeuil, Paris 5 |
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| Sustainable Built Environment (SBE) Conference |
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The Sustainable Built Environment Conference will take place from June 25–27 at ETH Hönggerberg Campus.
Under the title “Shaping tomorrow, system thinking in the built environment”, the conference aims to explore synergies between different building functions (safety, comfort, health, among others), scales (materials, components, buildings, cities, planet), sectors (industry, agriculture, energy, among others) and domains (economy, society, ecology).
The conference will address the following main themes:
• Integrated energy and resource use from buildings to territories
• Digital transformation for a systemic shift from a linear to a circular economy
• Economic models for a fast and efficient implementation of regenerative solutions
• Synergies of sustainable systems between environment, society, and economy
The second day of the conference (Thursday 26th June) is tailored towards professionals architects, engineers, city planers. It includes roundtables on circularity, decarbonization, the role of real estate and the position of science and innovation in society, followed by best-case presentations on buildings and infrastructure project.
The afternoon ends with site visits of exceptional objects and initiatives in Zurich surrounding.
Stay updated:: www.sbe.ethz.ch
We look forward to welcoming you!
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| Next public lectures |
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Alexandre Akchoti
STRUCTURA C: BUILDING WITH LIME-HEMP MATERIALS
Monday, 07.04.2025
16h00-17h00 (UTC+2)
Join online
Download POSTER
Structura C GmbH stands for sustainability in construction – characterized by respect for people and nature. This Swiss supplier of sustainable building materials focuses on high-quality natural composite materials for insulation, which consist of 100 percent natural products, with hemp and lime, and meet the highest ecological requirements. Alexandre Akchoti will present how Structura C is a holistic partner for building owners, architects and other construction specialists who are concerned about sustainability. They offer technical advice and support in planning and implementation. |
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Christian Roggeman
GRAMITHERM, A UNIQUE GRASS MADE INSULATION BATT
Tuesday, 08.04.2025
16h00-17h00 (UTC+2)
Join online
Download POSTER
Clean Insulating Technologies offers insulation solutions made from natural silage grass boards. Their flagship products, branded as Gramitherm®, are natural, healthy, and environmentally friendly. They are committed to making homes and buildings more energy-efficient, comfortable, and healthy. They aim to market durable, energy-saving products that significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They are working closely with local agricultural partners, promoting short-circuit distribution, and putting people and communities at the heart of their mission.
Christian Roggeman will share his vision to create a global concept rooted in local collaboration, revolutionizing the way we think about sustainable insulation. |
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Explore regenerative strategies, sustainable technologies, environmental policies, and real-world solutions through expert-led lectures tackling the challenges of a sustainable built environment.
Join our lecture series "Re-/Source the Built Environment" this Spring semester!
Thursdays | ⏰ 11:45 AM - 1:30 PM (UTC/GMT +1)
Live on Zoom
Download POSTER |
Next lectures:
• 3.4.25 - Aurélie Husson and Benoit Sindt (Studiolada): "Build with what we have: stone, straw, timb
• 10.4.25 - Philippe Rizzotti (Philippe Rizzotti Architecte): "Lightweight and disassembly potentials"
• 17.4.25 - Salima Naji (Atelier Salima Naji): "Terresterial architecture: anchoring architecture in Morocco"
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| New video |
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Previous public lecture:
Letizia Caderas: "OXARA: ETH SPIN-OFF FOR CLEAN-CRETE"
Link to recording |
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| CAS/DAS ETH in Regenerative Materials |
| Take a look at our other Continuating Education Programmes: |
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| Starts depending on your project |
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DAS ETH in Regenerative Materials
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| For those who have already completed two of our CAS in Regenerative Materials and wish to apply their knowledge to a personal project over one semester, under the guidance of expert supervisors.
More info here |
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| Other news |
Think Earth Partners Featured in TEC21
We are pleased to share that Think Earth partners have been featured in TEC21 across three articles. One highlights the MANAL pavilion, co-authored by Uwe Teutsch, a member of our Steering Committee. The other two contributions come from our project partners Rematter and Erne, showcasing their innovative work. |
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