NEST HiLo

Living LabActive ComponentsDemonstrators

21 Mar

The HiLo unit sits on the top platform of the NEST research and innovation building on the Empa campus in Dubendorf, Switzerland. Photo: Roman Keller (Copy)

Demonstrator of /
ASF – Adaptive Solar Facade
NCCR / Performance Integrated Digitally Fabricated Components

Development and Construction /
2017–2021

Funding /
ETH Zurich
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa)
NCCR Digital Fabrication - Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
Mitsubishi Electric R&D Centre Europe (MERCE-UK)

A/S Team /
G. Lydon, Y. Peng, B. Svetozarevic, I. Hischier, L. Walker, A. Silvestri, G. Kreuzer-Sanchez, A. Schlueter
(former A/S Team / Z. Nagy, J. Hofer, A. Willmann, P. Jayathissa, M. Begle, S. Caranovic)

Key Partners /
Block Research Group (ETH Zurich)
Chair of Digital Building Technologies (ETH Zurich)

Publications /
See the NEST HiLo project page on ResearchGate for a full list of publications.

Additional information /
EMPA press release
HiLo Virtual Tour
Press kit

Future buildings will require significant improvements to adhere to 2050 greenhouse gas mitigation strategies. One method is to consider building components as multifunctional elements. These elements can perform several functions simultaneously, such as energy and structural aspects, which bears the potential to reduce both operational and embedded emissions. As opposed to traditional sequential design, in which each building element performs a dedicated function. The former requires an integrated design approach to prioritise the use of renewable energy sources and the reduction of construction materials.

At HiLo, the Architecture and Building Systems A/S group presents two multifunctional elements: an Adaptive Solar Facade (ASF) and Performance Integrated Digitally Fabricated Components in form of a lightweight floor system. These elements are supported by a hybrid AC/DC energy network that will investigate new methods for the local utilisation of electrical energy.

HiLo is also a node in the NEST district energy hub (Empa ehub), which enables the harvesting, storage, conversion and transferring of energy. Each building unit is connected to the ehub using multiple thermal and electrical grids. These grids operate in both directions, which allows surplus energy to be transferred between building units or to the ehub.

The energy concept of HiLo is consolidated by an occupant centred control system, which targets optimal operational energy efficiency without compromising on user comfort. This objective is achieved by connecting all of the thermal and electrical data to a programmable controller, where researchers can investigate novel high-level control strategies, involving machine learning and artificial intelligence approaches. HiLo is a living lab that aims to investigate the transition of the built environment to a 100% renewable energy society.

Adaptive Solar Facade installed at HiLo. Photo: Roman Keller (Copy)

The office space on the east side with a view of the adaptive solar façade and the bottom surface of the lightweight floor construction. Photo: Roman Keller (Copy)

Users can control the indoor climate via a tablet. Photo: ETH Zurich / Architecture and Building Systems (Copy)

The office room on the west side with a view of the lightweight floor construction from below. Photo: Roman Keller (Copy)

View of the lightweight floor construction with integrated building systems from below. The air outlets of the ventilation system are visible at the bottom of the image. Photo: Roman Keller (Copy)

The HiLo ventilation system. Photo: ETH Zurich / Architecture and Building Systems (Copy)

View behind the wall: The HiLo unit is connected to a central energy hub of the NEST building. Photo: ETH Zurich / Architecture and Building Systems (Copy)