The Circle at Zurich Airport meets the highest environmental standards for construction and operation. It is not only LEED Platinum certified but also fulfils Minergie standard – join us at this tour through Switzerland’s largest green Building and see what is possible!
The building sector, especially in Switzerland, carries a great responsibility in our journey of decarbonisation, accounting for 23.9% of Switzerland’s GHG emissions (BAFU, 2020). Certifications and labels can be a useful tool in the transition to a greener building sector.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the internationally best-known building label. A successful LEED certification confirms that a building has been developed, planned and realised according to measurable sustainable aspects. Although various established building labels are available in Switzerland, interest in LEED on the part of building owners, investors and planners has increased significantly in recent years. There are now LEED-certified buildings in over 150 countries around the world – and The Circle is one of them! Minergie is another important standard in Switzerland that is becoming increasingly recognised globally. The Circle is Switzerland’s largest Minergie certified building – it is a standard that leads the way to net zero energy systems in buildings and fossil-free operation.
The Circle features a compact footprint of just 30,000 m². Heating and cooling needs are met with energy stored in underground thermal storage units, while energy and water consumption are minimised through energy recovery. The photovoltaic installation on the roof of the building harnesses another source of natural energy.
Around the building, a nature based approach has been used to promote biodiversity in the area and create and maintain important low moorlands which are of national importance.
Join us on September 15th on a tour through The Circle and an additional discussion with Danai Tamvakera (LEED AP), Project Lead at Amstein+Walthert, to learn more fascinating background information about the LEED Certification and this state-of-the-art energy efficient building!
