EPFL's Fribourg campus to get six additional research chairs by 2030
The future SLL buidling © Behnisch Architekten
The Fribourg Cantonal Government and EPFL have taken another step forward in their joint effort to expand EPFL’s Fribourg campus by strengthening its research capabilities in the built environment.
Six new research chairs will be created on the Fribourg campus over the next few years, bringing the total to ten by 2030. All chairs will be based at the Smart Living Lab (SLL) experimental building that will be constructed in the bluefactory innovation district starting next year. The decision to create the new research chairs follows the opening of EPFL’s new Centre for Worldwide Sustainable Construction (CWSC), which operates out of both the Lausanne and Fribourg campuses and works with organizations globally.
The Fribourg Cantonal Government and EPFL recently signed a preliminary agreement to expand the research being carried out at EPFL’s Fribourg campus in the strategic areas of the built environment, energy and the climate. This comes hand in hand with the opening of the CWSC, which aims to advance research, education and technology transfer by promoting the development of innovative construction methods and sustainable materials. The goal is to catalyze a global transition to more responsible building practices that are respectful of our planetary boundaries.
The ambitious plans to grow the Fribourg campus also include expanding the breadth and depth of collaborations involving EPFL, the HEIA school of engineering and architecture, and the University of Fribourg. These three universities are already working together in setting up the SLL, where researchers will study the built environment and how it interacts with humans and our planet.
The six new chairs will be added to the four existing ones. Each will be held by a professor who heads a research group, and by 2030 between 130 and 160 people will work at the Fribourg campus. This will make the campus an even more dynamic learning environment, bolster its positive impact on research, innovation and continuing education, and enable it to deliver greater economic benefits to Fribourg Canton.
Construction work on the SLL building will begin in the first quarter of 2025, and the new structure will enter service in early 2027. Its novel design draws on the findings of a large research program carried out jointly by EPFL, HEIA and the University of Fribourg, which set out energy-efficiency and environmental targets for the new building and recommended systems that building professionals can use to reach those targets.
The SLL building will be a pioneer in the effective use of resources throughout its life cycle, serving as a full-scale testing ground and model structure. What’s more, it will serve as an example of how the industry can contribute to achieving the Swiss government’s 2050 energy objectives.
The building will also stand out for its specific features to support experimental research, its digital twin and its high-resolution monitoring system – all of which will provide useful tools for EPFL, HEIA and University of Fribourg researchers. It will be a genuine, cross-disciplinary living laboratory intended to accelerate innovation.
The expansion of EPFL’s Fribourg campus and the opening of the CWSC mark a substantial step forward in Fribourg Canton’s efforts to promote sustainable development and the fight against climate change. They also reflect the Cantonal Government’s strategy to strenghten the construction industry – a pillar of the canton’s economy – as the ensuing technology transfer will boost the competitiveness of local businesses.