Analysis of the State of Insulation Materials in the Swiss Building Stock

With regard to energy and resource policy, we must ask ourselves how we will deal with insulating materials in the future. The question arises in particular when buildings are being dismantled, when parts of buildings are being rebuilt or when they are being renovated. At the moment, there are hardly any studies on the amount of insulating materials produced, in which combinations they occur and how they are to be recycled.

Buildings in Switzerland usually stand for a long time, which is why relatively small amounts of insulation material from demolition and renovation are produced today. However, we must expect volumes to rise sharply in the medium to long term. In order to cope with these challenges in the future, new strategies are needed for the decommissioning and disposal of this material waste. The focus must be on returning this material to the production cycle.

In our preliminary study, we conducted a relevance analysis to determine the actual situation of the insulation materials in the Swiss building stock. We quantified the quantity structure of the insulation materials currently produced and analysed the capacities and possibilities of recycling and disposal. In addition, we assessed possible process risks in dismantling, recycling and disposal, and identified problematic material flows.

The relevance of this topic is shown by the article on the study in the building technology magazine HK Gebäudetechnik "Gebrauchte Dämmstoffe beschäftigen uns in Zukunft".

Project infos

Project duration2015 bis 2016
Contact at TEP EnergyMartin Jakob
Contracting partyOffice for Building Construction of the City of Zurich (AHB Zurich)
Project partnersEnergie- und Ressourcen-Management GmbH (lead), TEP Energy
LinksHK Gebäudetechnik
Final report(PDF, in german)
Technical articlesHK Gebäudetechnik (3/2017, S.63-65) (PDF, in german)

Reference projects

Low-temperature district heating networks. The basis for modernizing the heat sector.

Renewable energies and waste heat sources are to replace the coal and natural gas sources that have dominated Polish district heating networks up to now.

First and foremost, this requires a reduction of the system temperature. The study shows the technical, regulatory and organisational measures required to achieve this
and determines the overall potential for decarbonising district heating in Poland.

Energy Policy Simulator

TEP Energy is supporting the San Francisco based think tank Energy Innovation in the expansion of its Energy Policy Simulator (EPS).

Future of Gas Study

TEP analysed the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of buildings of residential and service sector in EU27 countries to model different pathways of fossil fuel substitution.

Motivations for Investment in Smart Technologies and Energy Efficiency: The Case of Residential Buildings

Through the MISTEE project, we analyse how households' investments in buildings' energy efficiency and smart technologies are motivated and what impact different policies can have.

Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector | TEP Energy

The aim of the project is to develop a common definition of "net zero greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector" for Switzerland that is accepted by all stakeholders and can be used as a basis for setting limits and targets.

Ex-post analysis of energy demand 2021

Together with Prognos and Infras, TEP carries out the ex-post analysis of the energy demand of 2021 in Switzerland. TEP Energy is responsible for the services and agriculture sectors.

MEDIUS

MEDIUS bridges the gap between green finance and green projects to decarbonize buildings at scale.

Criteria for Climate-Compatible Building Financing in Switzerland

TEP Energy and Raffeisen Schweiz show clear criteria on how to invest in climate-friendly buildings.

Data centers in Switzerland - Electricity consumption and efficiency potential

Due to a substantial and increasing amount of electricity consumption by servers rooms/data cetners in Switzerland, it is important to analyse the electricity demand and energy efficiency potentials.

Calculation Tool for 2000-Watt Sites II

Revised calculation tool for the evaluation of settlement areas regarding indicators of the 2000-watt society.

Country-specific Market Reports for Buildings

Building Market Briefs (BMB) is a Climate KIC initiative within the flagship Building Technologies Accelerator (BTA) that aims to gather and promote knowledge about the buildings' and construction sector to promote low carbon investment and scaling.

Swiss Energy Perspectives 2050+

To update the SFOE's energy perspectives, we are preparing the scenario results for the services and agricultural sector.

IEA ECB Annex 70: Analysis of Building Energy Data with a Scalable Building Stock Model

Relationship between building park modelling and real building and energy data.

Cantonal energy indicators and CO2 emissions in the building sector

In the context of the CO₂ reporting, TEP Energy is developing a methodology for quantifying cantonal energy indicators and CO₂ emissions from the building sector.

Ex-Post Analysis of Energy Demand in the Swiss Service Sector

Together with Prognos and Infras, we periodically carry out ex-post analyses of the energy demand in Switzerland on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE). TEP Energy is responsible for the sectors services and agriculture.

Evaluation of measures using impact and cost analysis within the "Solar Strategy” project

Review of the expansion path of solar energy in the cantons of Aargau and Zurich

From the Certificate to Physics

Ways to net zero compatible buildings in the city of Zurich

LICS – Low-investment-cost retrofit solutions

Potentials and limitations of existing and new low-investment-cost retrofit solutions to achieve a benchmark of 6 kg CO_² per m² in existing buildings

Energy certificate data to characterise the building stock

Gaining knowledge about the energetic quality of the German building stock from energy performance certificates

Reference Values of Cooling Systems in Buildings

Compilation of cooling reference values and improvement of the data basis to have a better support for strategic building planning

Energy Law Report for the Canton of Basel-Landschaft

Development of a methodology for the periodic evaluation of the measures and goals of the canton's energy law.

sEEnergies - Cost potential curves for refurbishment strategies in Europe

Quantification of synergies between Energy Efficiency First Principle and renewable energy systems for 2050 decarbonization

Funding Programme SOKAS: System Optimisation of Industrial Refrigerating Plants

The subsidy programme SOKAS supports the sustainable system-wide energy optimisation of large cooling and refrigeration plants. In addition to lower energy costs, system operators benefit from an attractive subsidy of up to 40% of the total project costs.

REFLEX Project: Flexibility and Technological Development in the European Energy System

REFLEX focuses on techno-economic learning, fundamental energy system modelling and social and environmental life cycle analysis.

Heating Initiative Switzerland

On behalf of the Swiss Heating Initiative (WIS), the decarbonization of the heating sector will be examined by 2050. Spatial potential analyzes and the Swiss building stock model (GPM) are used.

Heat Roadmap Europe (HRE) – Study on the European Heating and Cooling Market

In Europe, the energy system is to be decarbonised in the long term, i.e. no more CO₂ emissions will be emitted. We estimate energy efficiencies cost potential curves for 14 European countries.

The Role of Gas Infrastructure in the Future Energy System

Energy policy decisions and technological developments lead to an increase in fluctuating renewable energy production. More flexibility in the power grid and storage possibilities is required to which the buildings' sector may contribute.

EEG Platform: Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Buildings (EEG)

Through the EEG platform, the developed actions from the EEG Action Plan can be jointly further developed and implemented throughout Switzerland.

CoolCity

Assessment of the potential for lake water use for heating and cooling in the city of Zurich

EEG Workshop: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies in Buildings (EEG)

The EEG Workshop on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Buildings (EEG) is part of the global programme "Energy Efficiency and Building Technology Accelerator" (EEB) of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and Climate-KIC.

CREAM – Integrating Climate Change Mitigation, Resource Efficiency and Adaptation in Building Stock Modelling

Objectives, strategies and measures in the field of climate protection, energy planning and the further development of energy networks in cities are designed using the Building Park Model (GPM) in a cross-sectoral manner.

Study on the Subsidiary Ban of Fossil-Fuelled Heating Systems

Swiss climate policy is facing major challenges, especially in the buildings sector. The study investigated the effects of a possible ban on fossil-fuelled heating systems from 2030, if the climate targets cannot otherwise be achieved.

Energy-Saving Contracting

Increasing energy efficiency is one of the central pillars of Swiss energy policy and energy-saving contracting contributes to this goal.

INSPIRE Tool: Energetic, Ecological and Economic Renovation of Buildings

With the INSPIRE tool you can calculate energy, ecological and economic indicators as well as strategies for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and primary energy consumption of buildings.

Mapping and Analyses of the Current and Future (2020-2030) Heating/Cooling Fuel Deployment (Fossil Fuels/Renewables) in Europe

The energy balances of statistical offices in many countries and Eurostat are often incomplete. This EU service contract maps current and future energy demand for heating and cooling.