Dr. Devi Bühler

Work at ZHAW

Position

Senior researcher and lecturer, Project leader

Focus

• Circular economy in the building and housing sector, Zero Emission Buildings, Integrated building design
• Greywater treatment and reuse, Biological wastewater treatment
• Decentralised, sustainable water management
• Acceptance and socio-economic aspects of eco-technologies

Education and Continuing education

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy, PhD / Bioscience Engineering: Environmental Sciences and Technology
  Ghent University
  10 / 2020 - 12 / 2025
• Master of Science ZFH / Natural Resource Science
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  09 / 2015 - 02 / 2018
• Bachelor of Science ZFH / Environmental Engineering
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  09 / 2010 - 09 / 2013
• Vocational baccalaureate with technical focus
  Gewerblich-Industrielle Berufsschule Uster
  10 / 2007 - 09 / 2009
• Swiss Federal Certificate of Competence / Druggist
  Allgemeine Berufsschule Zürich / training company
  08 / 2003 - 08 / 2007

Network

Membership of networks

• International Science Council - Global Roster of Experts
• International Water Association IWA - Member of the Management Committee Specialist Group on Resource-Oriented Sanitation
• Swiss Water Partnership
• Swiss Young Academy - Elected Member
• Swiss Association for Building Biology

Awards

• Zurich Future Prize
  Zurich Cantonal Parliament
  01 / 2025
• Sustainability Award for the achievements in KREIS-Haus
  ZHAW Institute of Natural Resource Sciences
  12 / 2021
• Svial Asiat Award for best grade in the master's program
  SVIAL
  06 / 2018
• SoE-Award for best grade in the technical vocational baccalaureate
  ZHAW School of Engineering
  09 / 2009

Social media

LinkedIn

Media presence

• Project KREIS-Haus
• Project LaundReCycle

Projects

• Advance cost-effective biological wastewater treatment (CEBWT) technologies / Deputy project leader / ongoing
• Recovery of Nutrients through Circular Local Approaches to Integrated Management of Urine / Project leader / ongoing
• The Blackwater Project in Cape Town / Project leader / ongoing
• The Low-Tech Water Project / Project leader / ongoing
• Value Next – Transdisciplinary Research for a Circular Water Future / Deputy project leader / completed
• Micro-biogas plants in Switzerland: Analysis of performance, economic viability, and approval practices of a small-scale biogas system for tiny living concepts and applications in alpine regions under Swiss climate conditions / Project leader / completed
• Integration of water and nutrient cycles in the renovation of a single-family detached home / Deputy project leader / completed
• Evaluation of methods for monitoring the quality of treated domestic grey water for water re-use / Deputy project leader / completed
• Casa Circolo – Direct recycling of greywater using the example of the KREIS-Haus / Project leader / completed
• Open Mind and Closed Cycles / Project leader / completed
• Living in the KREIS-Haus / Project leader / completed
• Ecological Engineering Living Lab: Insights into the lab of Ecological Engineering / Project leader / completed
• LaundReCycle South Africa – A Water- and Energy Self-sufficient Laundromat / Project leader / completed
• Local Water Loop / Team member / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Buehler, D., Luethi, L., Rousseau, D. P. L., Aubert, A. H., & Bozzola, M. (2025). Drivers for the adoption of circular water systems at the building level in a high-income context. Water Research X, 29(100416). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wroa.2025.100416
• Bühler, D., Barmettler, R., Junge, R., Bozzola, M., & Rousseau, D. P. L. (2025). Onsite greywater reuse in a low-tech solar-driven pilot laundry facility : field insights on performance, self-sufficiency, and user acceptance. Water Reuse, 15(3), 591–608. https://doi.org/10.2166/wrd.2025.068
• Bühler, D., Barmettler, R., Schoenborn, A., Junge, R., & Rousseau, D. P. L. (2025). Off-grid rainwater and greywater treatment and reuse on household level : conceptual approach and pilot operation at the KREIS-Haus demonstration case, Switzerland. Water Reuse, 15(2), 178–197. https://doi.org/10.2166/wrd.2025.104
• Bühler, D., Vischer, T., & Junge, R. (2025). A circular design concept for implementing sustainable building practices in the KREIS-Haus living lab, Switzerland. Buildings, 15(3), 409. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030409
• Zhang, R., Yang, X., Bühler, D., van Oirschot, D., Martens, M., Van Hulle, S. W. H., & Rousseau, D. P. L. (2024). Pilot scale demonstration of an underground biological aerated filter for rural wastewater treatment in a protected area. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 64(105603). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2024.105603
• Bühler, D., Antenen, N., Frei, M., Koller, C., Rousseau, D. P. L., Schönborn, A., & Junge, R. (2021). Towards water and energy self-sufficiency : a closed-loop, solar-driven, low-tech laundry pilot facility (LaundReCycle) for the reuse of laundry wastewater. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 1(3), 1037–1051. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-021-00077-2
• Dale, G., Dotro, G., Srivastava, P., Austin, D., Hutchinson, S., Head, P., Goonetilleke, A., Stefanakis, A., Junge, R., Fernandez, J. A., Weyer, V., Truter, W., Bühler, D., Bennett, J., Liu, H., Li, Z., Du, J., Schneider, P., Hack, J., & Schönborn, A. (2021). Education in ecological engineering : a need whose time has come. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 1(1), 333–373. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-021-00067-4
• Katsou, E., Nika, C.-E., Bühler, D., Marić, B., Megyesi, B., Mino, E., Babí Almenar, J., Bas, B., Bećirović, D., Bokal, S., Đolić, M., Elginöz, N., Kalnis, G., Mateo, M.-C. G., Milousi, M., Mousavi, A., Rinčić, I., Rizzo, A., Rodriguez-Roda, I., et al. (2020). Transformation tools enabling the implementation of nature-based solutions for creating a resourceful circular city. Blue-Green Systems, 2(1), 186–211. https://doi.org/10.2166/bgs.2020.929
• Langergraber, G., Pucher, B., Simperler, L., Kisser, J., Katsou, E., Bühler, D., Mateo, M. C. G., & Atanasova, N. (2020). Implementing nature-based solutions for creating a resourceful circular city. Blue-Green Systems, 2(1), 173–185. https://doi.org/10.2166/bgs.2020.933
• Bühler, D., & Junge, R. (2016). Global trends and current status of commercial urban rooftop farming. Sustainability, 8(11), 1108. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8111108

Books, peer-reviewed

• Bühler, D. (2025). Towards off-grid self-sufficiency : technical and socio-economic evaluation of a circular water system based on greywater reuse [Doctoral dissertation, Ghent University]. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-34840
• Bühler, D., & Schamoni, W. R. (2023). Energieeffizientes Bauen und Sanieren. WEKA MEDIA GmbH & Co.

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

• Lüthi, L., & Bühler, D. (2025). Assessing the impact of experiencing an ecological building on user acceptance and behavioral intentions : insights from the KREIS-Haus living lab. 13th IEES International Conference “Closed Cycles and the Circular Society – the Power of Ecological Engineering”, Reykjavik, Iceland, 16-18 July 2025. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-34068
• Bühler, D., Lüthi, L., Rousseau, D. P. L., Aubert, A., & Bozzola, M. (2025, July). Drivers for the adoption of circular water systems at the building level in a high-income context. 13th IEES International Conference “Closed Cycles and the Circular Society – the Power of Ecological Engineering”, Reykjavik, Iceland, 16-18 July 2025.
• Bühler, D., Barmettler, R., Schönborn, A., Junge, R., & Rousseau, D. P. L. (2025, March). Off-grid water treatment and reuse of rain- and greywater on household level : pilot operation at the example of KREIS-Haus, Switzerland. 14th IWA International Conference on Water Reclamation & Reuse, Cape Town, South Africa, 16-19 March 2025.
• Bühler, D., Barmettler, R., Junge, R., Bozzola, M., & Rousseau, D. P. L. (2024). Performance, optimization, socio-economic acceptance, and drivers of a low-tech solar-driven pilot laundry facility (LaundReCycle) in South Africa. IWA 17th SSWS and 9th ROS. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-32660
• Bühler, D., Junge, R., & Rousseau, D. (2023). Towards water self-sufficiency : pilot operation of an off-grid water cycle based on rainwater harvesting and low-tech, biological greywater treatment in an inhabited demonstration house in Switzerland (KREIS-Haus). 6th IWA International Conference on Eco-Technologies for Wastewater Treatment, Girona, Spain, 26-29 June 2023. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-28826
• Lüthi, L., & Bühler, D. (2023, June). Evaluation of a low-tech, passively solar-driven pilot plant : nutrients recovery from source-separated urine on household level. 6th IWA International Conference on Eco-Technologies for Wastewater Treatment, Girona, Spain, 26-29 June 2023. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-34540
• Bühler, D., Schuetze, T., & Junge, R. (2015). Towards development of a label for zero emission buildings : a tool to evaluate potential zero emission buildings [Conference paper]. In M. A. Rosen (Ed.), Sustainability (Vol. 7, pp. 5071–5093). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7055071
• Bühler, D., Junge, R., & Schütze, T. (2014). Towards development of a label for zero emission buildings : a tool to evaluate potential zero emission buildings. Proceedings of the 4th World Sustainability Forum. https://doi.org/10.3390/wsf-4-a001

Other publications

• Bühler, D., Steuerwald, D., Lüthi, L., Giacomelli, R., & Grau, M. (2026). Grauwassernutzung in der Schweiz : Synthese und Empfehlungen. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2581
• Senft, E., Kessler, S. H., Delgado, P., Bühler, D., & Bovet, A. (2025). Impact of AI on early career researchers : challenges, opportunities and responsibilities. Swiss Young Academy. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-34837
• Bühler, D., & Barmettler, R. (2023). LaundReCycle : a water- and energy self-sufficient laundromat. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-28581
• Bühler, D., Lüthi, L., & Jenny, A. (2023). KREIS-Haus : Schlussbericht Projektphase 2021 - 2022. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-27805
• Bühler, D. (2023). Grossmarkt Grossstadt. Modulør, 16(1), 34–39. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-27263
• Bühler, D. (2022). Ecological Engineering Living Lab. TRANSFER Special, 2022(2), 9. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-25948
• Bühler, D. (2022). Ökotechnologie Living Lab. TRANSFER Spezial, 2022(2), 9. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-25947
• Itin, N., & Bühler, D. (2022). Chancen und Hemmnisse des nachhaltigen Gebäudebaus in der Schweiz. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-35853
• Bühler, D. (2022). Baubranche : wieso die Klimasünderin umdenken muss. higgs. https://www.higgs.ch/baubranche-wieso-die-klimasuenderin-umdenken-muss/50357/
• Bühler, D. (2022). Design challenge - Sight Unseen: Depicting Climate Change in the Light of Human Rights. Swiss Young Academy. https://swissyoungacademy.ch/youngacademy_de/gemeinsame-projekte/the-future-of-human-rights/design-challenge-sight-unseen-depicting-climate-change-in-the-light-of-human-rights
• Bühler, D., & Schönborn, A. (2021). Das KREIS-Haus : die grosse Kreislaufvision im Miniformat. Transfer, 2021(2), 12. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-24755
• Bühler, D., Antenen, N., Frei, M., Krähenbühl, N., Barmettler, R., Schönborn, A., Brändle, T., Balducci, A., Mezek, K., Zybach, C., Bleuler, M., & Junge, R. (2020). Local Water Loop : Vorstudie für einen energie- und wasserautarken Waschmaschinenbetrieb. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-28824
• Bühler, D. (2020). Urban Mining und Urban Farming im Haus der Zukunft. Baubiologie. https://www.baubio.ch/artikel-beitrage/urban-mining-und-urban-farming-im-haus-der-zukunft
• Bühler, D., & Antenen, N. (2020). Waschen für die Wissenschaft. IUNR Magazin, 2020(1), 14–15. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-19919
• Bühler, D., & Junge, R. (2018). Ein Technologiekonzept für multi-funktionale Fassaden. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-27655

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

Bühler, D., Antenen, N., Frei, M., Koller, C., & Junge, R. (2020, September 3). Towards water and energy self-sufficiency : a closed-loop, low-tech laundry pilot facility (LaundReCycle) for the reuse of laundry wastewater. Closed Cycles and the Circular Society : The Power of Ecological Engineering, Online, 2-4 September 2020. https://closedcycles2020.ch

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