Previously funded research and teaching projects

The project is investigating measures to promote active mobility in the rapidly growing Lokstadt district of Winterthur. The aim is to create conditions that make cycling and walking more attractive and safer, in order to support sustainable lifestyles and the well-being of residents. The participatory co-creation approach involves local stakeholders such as public authorities, associations, businesses and residents to develop tailor-made solutions that meet the specific needs of Lokstadt.

Workshops and findings to date have highlighted shortcomings in the local infrastructure, particularly with regard to safety and comfort for pedestrians and cyclists. The ZHAW is contributing its expertise through the Institute of Public Health, with students also being involved in the development of health-promoting campaigns. The project supports the energy transition and sustainable urban living, and serves as a model for similar initiatives.

Project team:
Evelyn Lobsiger (ZHAW, School of Engineering) (Project lead), Bernadette Sütterlin (ZHAW, School of Engineering), Debora Frei (ZHAW, School of Engineering), Jasmin Oberkalmsteiner (ZHAW, School of Engineering), Andrea Glässel (ZHAW, Health Sciences), Julienne Rüeger (ZHAW, Health Sciences), Julia Grundisch (ZHAW, Applied Linguistics), Manuela Fuchs (Stadt Winterthur)

The project aims to develop an app that visualises household electricity consumption and locally generated solar energy in real time. This is intended to increase the self-consumption rate and encourage energy-saving efforts. By providing real-time feedback, users’ awareness of their electricity consumption patterns is heightened, making it easier to shift electricity consumption specifically to times when on-site solar energy production is high.

The app is being tested in the Living Lab Lokstadt, a rapidly growing district in Winterthur. The study also examines potential negative spillover effects that could accompany an increased self-consumption rate resulting from the real-time feedback, in order to establish a holistic basis for assessing its impact.

Another focus of the project is on the social dimension of sustainability, analysing differences in needs and receptiveness to real-time feedback amongst various social groups (i.e. lifestyles). In addition, the project aims to investigate how membership of an energy community can enhance social cohesion and well-being. Finally, recommendations will be formulated for the further development of such app solutions and strategies for effectively engaging different lifestyle types.

Project team:
Bernadette Sütterlin (ZHAW, School of Engineering) (Project Lead), Debora Frei (ZHAW, School of Engineering), Jasmin Oberkalmsteiner (ZHAW, School of Engineering), Evelyn Lobsiger (ZHAW, School of Engineering), Nadine Nembrini (ZHAW, Applied Linguistics), Yves Deluz (Implenia), Julien Nembrini (Université de Fribourg)

The project promotes practice-oriented knowledge transfer and skills development in the field of agroforestry systems, which are recognised as a climate-friendly form of land use. The aim is to create synergies between woody plant structures, crops and livestock farming in order to realise ecological, economic and social benefits. The focus is on case studies and practical assignments that help students understand the principles and benefits of such systems. Together with farmers, they develop research questions and designs for field trials, which gives them insights into real-world needs and challenges.

Participants develop their skills in personal responsibility, interdisciplinarity and practical work, and learn to design and evaluate their own agroforestry systems. The project raises awareness of sustainable land use and improves understanding of the SDGs and fundamental agroecological principles. 

Project team:
Christa Hirschvogel (ZHAW, Life Sciences and Facility Management) (Project lead), Mareike Jäger (ZHAW, LSFM), Annette Jenny (ZHAW, LSFM)

The project is developing a solution to the frequent lack of small meeting rooms in converted industrial buildings. The aim is to create modular spaces through circular design and participation. These spaces are intended to serve researchers, lecturers and students as multifunctional spaces for meetings, research presentations or relaxation.

In the short term, the project provides a state-of-the-art space in the main building of the Department of Architecture, Design and Civil Engineering with circular, participatory design practices. The focus is on a web-based configurator that enables non-experts to create designs based on specific requirements and reusable materials. In the long term, the project aims to establish a workflow accessible to non-experts that encourages user participation in the design and manufacturing process.

The approach combines recycled building materials with innovative materials and incorporates sensors to collect building data in order to analyse usage. The aim is to create a flexible and sustainable method of interior design that will benefit a wide range of applications, such as offices and schools.

Project team:
Evangelos Pantazis (ZHAW, Architecture, Design and Civil Engineering) (Project Lead), Yves Ebnöther (ZHAW, A), Luca Baldini (ZHAW, A), Konrad Graser (ZHAW, A), Patric Fischli (ZHAW, A)

The project aims to promote the transformation of the food system in Wädenswil by establishing a multi-stakeholder platform (MAP). The focus is on collaboration between the agriculture, food processing, catering and retail sectors and the ZHAW. This interaction enables research to be directly integrated into local practical issues, thereby facilitating the development of innovative solutions for a more sustainable food system.

A key objective is to position the ZHAW as a link between academia and practice, in order to continuously identify the needs and challenges faced by stakeholders. The Living Lab provides a space for the scientific support and evaluation of specific projects, such as those aimed at raising public awareness of food waste.

Project team:
Frenzi Ritter (ZHAW, Life Sciences and Facility Management) (Project lead), Sonja Trachsel (ZHAW, LSFM), Hannah Della Casa (ZHAW, LSFM), Urs Müller (ZHAW, LSFM), Karin Hüppi Fankhauser (Schluchtalhof), Clemens Rüttiman (Foodhub Wädenswil)

This project is investigating how biophilic design – which incorporates natural elements such as colours, shapes and materials into indoor spaces – can have a positive impact on students’ wellbeing and performance. A key component is the creation of a ‘Green Classroom’ as a prototype at the Toni Areal in Zurich, which is being developed in collaboration with students.

One group of BSc psychology students will use this room for two months, whilst another group will use a conventional room, the ‘Grey Classroom’. The aim is to evaluate the effects of biophilic design on wellbeing and performance and to gather scientific evidence. This knowledge is intended to promote the integration of biophilic elements into teaching spaces and to support sustainability at the university.

In the long term, the project offers a scalable, modular approach that emphasises adaptability and encourages the redesign of further spaces both within and outside the ZHAW.

Project team:
Cathérine Hartmann (ZHAW, Applied Psychology) (Project Lead), Swen Kühne
(ZHAW, Applied Psychology), Riccardo Meier (ZHAW, Applied Psychology), Clara Weber (ZHAW, Life Sciences and Facility Management), Pascale Bebie Gut
(ZHAW, Life Sciences and Facility Management), Martina Guhl (ZHAW, Applied Psychology), ZHAW and ZHdK students

The project aims to overcome young people’s sense of resignation in the face of global challenges and to foster optimism. A ‘Future Lab’ is being set up in the pavilion on the ZHAW Grüental Campus, where young people can translate their values and ideas into positive stories about the future. This process is supported by AI tools that provide creative inspiration for narratives. Participants experience a sense of self-efficacy by realising that their decisions and actions have an impact on the future. Students on the BSc in Environmental Engineering are testing and optimising the lab as part of the ‘Participation and Communication’ module. The methods developed are being further refined for school classes and made available to teachers via a website.

By conveying a sustainable and optimistic vision of the future, the project seeks to increase motivation to engage actively with sustainability, and to promote skills in working with AI and participatory methods. 

Project team:
Rahel Skelton (ZHAW, Life Sciences and Facility Management) (Project Lead), Petra Bättig-Frey (ZHAW, LSFM), David Koch (ZHAW, LSFM), Nina Minder (ZHAW, LSFM), Johanna Nachtigall (ZHAW, LSFM), Yvonne Pirchl-Zaugg (ZHAW, LSFM), Meret Radi (Stadtmuseum Aarau)

The project aims to create an experimental structure that highlights the potential of digital fabrication for sustainable construction methods and showcases findings from ongoing research projects. The focus is on the use of 3D-printed clay modules in combination with other material systems. This ‘clay space’ will be created in Winterthur as part of the Grüze Innovation Centre, a platform for interdisciplinary exchange. The aim of this pilot project is to enable a broad section of the public to experience the potential of digital design and fabrication processes and the need for resource-efficient construction methods.

What makes this project unique is the opportunity to observe the behaviour of the planned structures over an extended period through a functional building. Among other things, the planned pavilion is intended to serve as noise protection, blend into the surrounding greenery, and offer catering facilities (a coffee kiosk, barbecue area) – thus creating ‘Living Lab’: a building used by the public whilst providing important insights for the further development of the technologies employed. Collaboration with industry partners ensures a practical implementation, with the aim of improving the environmental sustainability of buildings.

Project team:
David Jenny (ZHAW, Architecture, Design and Civil Engineering) (Project Lead), Alexis Ringli (ZHAW, A), Patric Fischli-Borson (ZHAW, A), Yves Ebnöther
(ZHAW, A), Edurne Morales (ZHAW, A), Yasaman Yavaribajestani (ZHAW, A), Selina Schönholzer (ZHAW, A), Martin Joos (Stadt Winterthur), Nora Marty (Stadt Winterthur), Ronja Michels (Stadt Winterthur), Peter Rüttimann (Stadt Winterthur)

With this project, Valerio de Martinis and his team trained ZHAW lecturers in the use of rail traffic control tools so that such content can be incorporated into the teaching modules. The core of the project consisted of training activities carried out with the support of the Eisenbahnbetriebslabor Schweiz AG (EBL). The project promotes learning opportunities that are directly related to the future professional lives of students and contributes in particular to the sustainable development of mobility in Switzerland by training future professionals in the field of public transport.

How can recycled materials be used to create high-quality, sustainable structures with the help of digital tools? Students in the elective project ‘Spatial Systems’ in the Bachelor of Architecture are exploring this question in a practical way by designing and building a modular shelving system. They investigated how digital manufacturing processes can be used to precisely process heterogeneous waste materials and developed innovative connection details that are both high-performance and circular. The result is 1:1 prototypes of various spatial systems that demonstrate the potential of digital fabrication in the context of sustainability and convey an idea of how waste materials can be used sustainably in the construction industry.

• Project video

An e-learning course highlights the potential of agroecological transformation to promote social, economic and environmental sustainability at various levels of the food system and in different regions of the world. For non-experts, the 13 principles and holistic approach of agroecology are difficult to grasp at first. Claudia Veith's project aims to make agroecology tangible by complementing the theoretical concept with practical examples. The course ends with a call to action, encouraging participants to get actively involved in changing the way our food systems work.

In order to achieve climate targets, the construction sector needs high-performance designs that are optimised in terms of materials and energy consumption. In building construction, floor slabs are the most voluminous and CO2-intensive components. As part of the Constructive Research module, Alexis Ringli, Stefanie Müller De Pedrini and Christian Meier led an analytical investigation of conventional and new systems with regard to specific properties and their life cycle assessment. A holistic view of building construction enables architects to design sustainable structures and thus assume ecological responsibility in building design.

The university libraries at the ZHAW offer seeds from rare plant species, organic vegetables and herbs for visitors to take away or exchange. With the seed library project, Lea Bobst and her team are raising awareness of biodiversity in (urban) living spaces, promoting responsible use of resources and supporting knowledge transfer through a tangible product. The seed library ties in with existing teaching and research topics at the ZHAW, but presents the content in an accessible way with a do-it-yourself brochure and based on the library's service principle - with seeds available to borrow and later return.

In the so-called ‘project track’ of the Mechanical Engineering programme, the topics of sustainability and circular economy are taught using a new learning programme and infrastructure. Project manager Adrian Fassbind is conducting a Living Lab with students that covers all essential aspects of sustainable mechatronic product development. To this end, the beverage dispenser from the start-up Wonderfill (previously fountain) was used as a case study, taking into account as many sustainability aspects as possible.

The EduBee project combines practical learning with sustainable challenges for students of Food Science. The focus is on honey production and the crucial role bees play in ecosystems, sustainability and health. Christine Brombach's project integrates science, health and sustainability education into a total of four modules. EduBee not only imparts knowledge about sustainable food production and biodiversity, but also makes an important contribution to the SDGs by highlighting the impact of education on the environment and health, the food system and agriculture.

With this project, Isabelle Wrase and Zifei Wang-Speiser promote social sustainability in the MSc Real Estate & Facility Management (MSc REFM) programme by enabling students to actively participate in the model of direct democracy in Switzerland. To this end, students form a student government that represents their interests in the MSc REFM. In addition, all students can actively participate in shaping their studies through initiatives, votes and referendums. This active participation strengthens social cohesion, identification with the programme, equality and student engagement.

After graduating, computer science students often go on to develop digital products and services with a responsibility to ensure the sustainability of the softwares they develop. To support students in understanding the impact of their work, Michael Wahler is working with other lecturers to develop teaching content that raises students' awareness of sustainability in software development and provides them with the specific tools and methods to create sustainable solutions. This teaching content will be integrated into several modules of the Bachelor's programme in Computer Science.

→ More about the project: Outcomes, lessons learned and recommendations (PDF 563 kB)

In the gardens on the Campus Grüental, the ‘grassland’ will be expanded to include the topic of protein transition. New plants will be integrated to demonstrate the importance of legumes for sustainable nutrition and the reduction of animal products. The expansion is being developed by Rahel Skelteon, in collaboration with students from the Staged Natural Spaces (Inszenierte Naturräume) module, and will be used as a practical teaching element. In addition, the new content will be integrated into existing school tours and audio guides. This will make the protein transition tangible and promote a deeper understanding of sustainable nutrition.

Aligned with SDGs 4, 5 and 8, this project focuses on how students perceive and experience diversity at the ZHAW and the associated resources and measures taken by the ZHAW in the area of diversity. To support the Diversity Commission, Grégoire Bollmann and his team are conducting a monitoring exercise covering at least five departments at the ZHAW. This survey aims to document the diversity of students and their subjective experiences of support and discrimination during their studies at the ZHAW.

• Entry in the research database

The cooperative “42hacks” and the city of Winterthur conducted an experiment in which they asked 1'000 city residents to give up their private cars for a month and instead try out public transport, e-bikes and car sharing free of charge. The aim was to convince participants to sell their cars at the end of the experiment. As part of this project, Nadine Klopfenstein and Julia Grundisch have evaluated the participants' motives, mobility behaviour and the everyday obstacles to sustainable mobility, communication and the decision-making process during the experiment.

• Factsheet about the project outcomes (in German) (PDF 125 kB)

The aim of Anja Pfister's project is to strengthen the mental health of parents and children in the long term and to promote an inclusive community. Support services for families experiencing mental health issues during the perinatal period in Winterthur are to be developed and networked. A participatory research approach was used to identify needs, develop a concept and implement it through a pilot project. An interdisciplinary team is cooperating with local organisations and affected families to develop innovative solutions.

• Entry in the research database (in German)

The basis for good cooperation between school and home is a functioning exchange. Language barriers, intercultural hurdles or a lack of media competence can make communication between schools and foreign-language parents and guardians difficult. The research project led by Nicole Rosenberger Staub and Caroline Lehr thus seeks to contribute to more equal opportunities in the school system: Based on guideline interviews with different stakeholder groups, fields of action shall be identified that are relevant for the further development of communication. For this purpose, the interdisciplinary project team from the departments of Applied Linguistics and Social Work is working closely with two QUIMs schools. This allows the findings to flow directly into practice.

• Entry in the research database

Nitrogen is a greenhouse gas and is often used in agriculture for fertilising. So far, synthetic fertilisers have often been the first choice, as biological fertilisers are not directly absorbed by the plants. The use of biological fertiliser leads to planning uncertainties, which in turn result in additional use of fertiliser and thus higher emissions. To optimise the use of organic fertiliser as a more environmentally friendly alternative, Martin Schüle and Adrian Rutzer, Institute for Computational Life Sciences (ICLS), are investigating complex plant-soil models to determine which nutrients are available to the plant and when. This is a first step towards the development of models with computational and data-driven methods that enable the estimation of the optimal nutrient content.

For social and impact entrepreneurs, access to networks and resources is crucial to realise their potential for innovative project ideas. This is the starting point for the new research project by Richard Bläse and Matthias Filser. With the help of a virtual map, the most important support services and key players in the field of social entrepreneurship in Switzerland are made visible. The methodical, two-stage approach aims to identify the core needs of social entrepreneurs and overcome barriers to innovation. This helps to sustainably anchor and promote social entrepreneurship at the ZHAW and in Switzerland.