WSL internal targets
WSL's internal environmental targets for heat, electricity, fuel and paper consumption have already been met or even exceeded. Currently, we are focusing on the development of a comprehensive mobility strategy to decrease our CO2 emissions, while continuously maintaining the achieved goals.
Further targets
EnAW
WSL signed a voluntary agreement with the Energy Agency of the Swiss Private Sector (EnAW) about binding targets on climate protection and energy efficiency in July 2015 after the BFE and the cantons of Zurich and Graubünden approved them. According to this, by 2022, the WSL must increase its energy efficiency by 9% compared to 2013 and reduce building-related CO2 emissions by 50%. Thanks to various measures, WSL has already increased its energy efficiency by 15% by 2019 and emitted 67% less CO2.
Exemplary Energy and Climate Initiative
The Exemplary Energy and Climate initiative is part of the Energy Strategy 2050. It is aimed at companies closely linked to the federal government or cantons to make an ambitious contribution to increasing energy efficiency and expanding the use of renewable energy in Switzerland. WSL as a research institute of the ETH-domain signed the declaration of intent.
The federal government suggests a 25% increase in energy efficiency per FTE by 2020 (base year 2006). From 2006 to 2019, WSL increased its energy efficiency by 63% in terms of final energy and by as much as 239% in terms of primary energy. WSL is implementing 38 measures out of the 39, regarding buildings and renewable energy, mobility and green IT. By 2019 already 97% was completed (80% is required by 2020). Furthermore, WSL committed itself to introduce CO2-neutral heating at all of its own premises by 2020, thereby reducing the amount of heating energy by 25% and the CO2 emissions from heating by 97%. These goals were achieved in 2019 through extensive energy-related renovations.
About the activites you can read more in our Environmental Reports.