Finally Done!

After months of meticulous planning, countless hours of hard work, and overcoming numerous bureaucratic hurdles, our pioneering construction project—built entirely from reused rails— stands proudly completed. Not only does it represent an architectural and environmental milestone, but it also symbolizes that ecological responsibility can align with economic benefit.

But lets start at the Beginning

When ETH MAS Architect Dimitri Durst first explored reusing old railway tracks in architecture, the concept was met with skepticism. Yet Dimitri saw potential where others saw scrap. Driven by the ETH ethos of innovation, he set out to prove that used rails could find new life in sustainable construction. After a one year long feasibility study in 2023, uncertainty transformed into excitement. Dimitri has proven together with Weber+Brönnimann AG that rails—high quality steel designed for heavy loads—are structurally reliable even after their primary use, paving the way for something groundbreaking.

Turning Plans into Reality

With structural doubts resolved, Dimitri faced the next challenge: finding suitable ground to build. Essential partnerships with SBB Resale and the Bahntechnik Center Hägendorf opened doors, providing a perfect site— covering e-car parking spaces. Navigating bureaucracy and patenting Arrangement and details of all innovations along the way proved lengthy but necessary steps, safeguarding his pioneering idea and investments. As Dimitri moved into production, another innovation emerged: using screws instead of welding. The pre-production phase initially seemed unconventional, yet steel constructors found minimal adjustments necessary, highlighting the project’s feasibility. Each step reinforced Dimitri’s conviction: sustainable innovation isn’t merely idealistic—it’s entirely practical.

Rails Up: The Sustainable Construction Begins

Finally, construction day arrived. Starting with a solid yet simple foundation, the reused rails went up swiftly, as straightforward as conventional steel structures, thanks to the innovative
screw method. The structure’s strength became dramatically evident when four large Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels were placed confidently atop the rail frame, demonstrating
strength without additional beams. With final touches like floor cleaning and precise marking of parking spots, the construction site transformed from a challenging experiment into a compelling example of sustainable architecture. Dimitri’s vision—once uncertain—stood firmly, a proud landmark of innovative reuse.

Results That Speak Volumes

With the project complete, results exceeded every expectation:

• Structural excellence: Effortlessly carrying a roof load exceeding 15 tons.
• Durable and robust: Easily handling extreme conditions, including open-field winds of up to 130 km/h.
• Remarkable environmental gains: CO₂ savings of 94% compared to conventional steel constructions.
• Economic advantages: more ecological and cost-efficient than conventional steel construction.
• Material efficiency: Achieved a 2% reduction in overall material usage for the steel construction.
  

These impressive results aren’t merely data—they symbolize a clear message: ecological responsibility can, and indeed should, align seamlessly with economic benefit.

Vision for a Sustainable Future

Dimitri’s first successful structure isn’t an endpoint but rather an exciting beginning. Inspired by his initial success, Dimitri is determined to make reused rails a standard building material. He aims to create systematic applications, working closely with industry partners to generate local value, supporting railway infrastructure financially, and promoting social change by redefining perceptions of “used materials.” This project, though initially tagged “never build,” is now the cornerstone of a larger vision: a world where sustainability isn’t optional but integral to
architectural practice. Dimitri Durst’s story proves that innovative thinking, resilience, and determination can turn even decommissioned rails into valuable resources, setting a compelling example for sustainable construction worldwide.

Switzerland is a country of renters – we all know rental deposits. Signing a physical form, sending it via letter and then putting down 3 months’ rent into a low-interest account? There should be a better way – with Evorest there is!

Co-founded by Felix Graule – an ETH Alumni – Evorest built a win-win solution for tenants and property managers alike. Here is how.

From Robotics to FinTech

Felix studied Electrical Engineering at ETH in his Bachelor and Robotics in his Master degree.

“So how did you end up as the CTO of a FinTech then?”, one might ask. It’s a fair question. The answer is tricky:

1. Graduating from a school like ETH opens many doors – including some odd paths for a Robotics engineer like joining the Boston Consulting Group. But this is where Felix met Gianluca and Marc, who both studied at the University of St. Gallen. Whatever ETH Alumni do after their studies, they will likely work with talented and driven colleagues – and opportunities might open unexpectedly.
2. ETH teaches its students solid analytical thinking and structured problem-solving. One might not solve a differential equation every day as a start-up CTO, but it is critical to understand new things quickly. The software must scale? Learn how to build in the cloud. The UI needs a fix? Figure out how to write front-end code. A customer wants to connect their data? Build an API for that.
3. Studying at ETH makes you realize that small, motivated teams can achieve a lot – just like the study group that gets you through the ‘Basisjahr’. It takes courage to jump from a steady job to a company that might just be an idea and a motivated team.

“But why in a FinTech and not Robotics?”, one might insist. Again, a fair question to which Felix would answer:

“I believe ETH Alumni can be great start-up co-founders – also outside of Deep Tech. There is plenty of problems in the modern world that can be solved without cutting edge research. Yes, it might not be as glamorous, but it’s incredibly rewarding to build a piece of tech, get it to real customers and see it grow from tens to thousands of users.”

About Evorest

Instead of relying on physical paper forms, Evorest enables rental deposits to be opened and closed fully digitally within minutes. This saves time, especially for property managers. To enable this, Evorest built a Web-based SaaS solution with API integrations to most common software tools used by property managers. Evorest is already working with more than 50 property managers across Switzerland and is on a rapid growth trajectory.

Evorest offers tenants both a conventional cash deposit and a novel invested deposit. This allows tenants to invest up to 75% of their deposit into a range of widely diversified ETFs, allowing them to earn a return while living in their flat – rather than the deposit just being dead capital.

Behind the scenes, Evorest opens the bank accounts with Hypothekarbank Lenzburg. Being a regulated bank means that the deposits are protected against default up to CHF 100’000.

Curious about the guests we feature on the We Are ETH podcast? We have summarized the three personal questions that our host Susan Kish asks each guest at the end of the episode.

What did Grace want to be when she was growing up?

I wanted to be a scientist, specifically a medical scientist and a professional swimmer. I just loved being in the water. I don’t even think I really had a stroke. I think I tried out all the strokes.

That dream was abandoned quite quickly!

What was Grace’s favourite place in Zurich?

I lived near the University of Zurich campus, the Irchel campus.

During COVID, when we were able to go out, every single day, rain, shine or snow I went out in the forests above Zurich. I used to run and walk on the mountain biking trails rather than the actual trails because I could be engulfed by the trees. A lot of mountain bikers got mad at me! 

That was one of my favorite places to explore, because even though I was in the city, I felt that I wasn’t, especially during the times when we couldn’t travel.

So that’s probably one of my favorite places.

What is Grace reading right now?

When I was a child my father would read me books or make up stories about different realms, and I like a lot of different literature. 

One of my all time favorite books is called Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli. I’ve read it multiple times and I can’t wait to share that with my daughter!

Right now, I’m reading The Lost City of the Monkey God which is a very interesting take on the idea of using space research, like LIDAR systems, to understand anthropological sites.

What is fascinating Grace right now?

Something that I continue to be very curious about is the indigenous perspective. So, understanding the world from different cultural perspectives and how we can continue to intersect what we consider westernized science with indigenous science.

Because there’s a lot of influence of indigenous science into Western science but there’s not a lot of direct understanding and a lot of voices are not being heard. 

And so I continue to at least want to learn about that indigenous perspective and understand how I can weave that into my teachings and provide also hopefully a platform for others to speak out about those interconnections.

Listen to the full episode with Grace Crain, ETH alumna, plant ecologist, and STEM educator as she talks about why science isn’t just about beakers and chemistry sets. 

Too busy to listen to the We Are ETH podcast? We have summarized the three personal questions that our host Susan Kish asks each guest at the end of the episode. 

What was Mark’s favourite place in Zurich? 

It depends on the season, but during the summer, it has to be sitting by the lake. And in the winter, I would say Uetliberg. There’s a spot that I discovered where you feel like you’re sitting on top of the clouds, which is very beautiful!

What is Mark reading? 

Currently ‘Playground’ and ‘Overstory’ by Richard Powers. They are really great novels! 

What is fascinating Mark right now?

The fungi kingdom in general! I’m very excited about what’s coming for the fungi kingdom and functional mushrooms, which are mushrooms that can improve your performance or health.

There’s a huge variety of them, like Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Chaga and so on. They can serve as an alternative to normal coffee. Coffee can sometimes give you anxiety or a crash which doesn’t happen with a chagaccino!

Listen to the full episode with Mark Essam Zahran, ETH alumnus, founder and CEO of the ETH spin-off YASAI, a Swiss vertical farming company.

Too busy to listen to the We Are ETH podcast? We have summarized the three personal questions that our host Susan Kish asks each guest at the end of the episode. 

What was David’s favourite place in Zurich? 

My favourite place right now is on a sailing boat on the lake in Zurich. 

I recently picked up my sailing license. It’s a tough test and a wonderful learning journey as well. Sailing on the lake is such a special thing.

What did David want to be when he grew up?

When I was a little boy, I wanted to become a physicist because Albert Einstein was a physicist, right? 

And I’m not too far off. My field is very technical, very science-y. I think Albert Einstein would have become a computer scientist in modern days! 

What is David reading? 

My favorite book is Matilda by Roald Dahl. 

I happen to read Matilda again every once in a while and you just caught me at the very moment I have it on my bedside table. 

Yeah, I really love Matilda.  

What is fascinating David right now?

My background in AI research. It has been such an interesting time to watch the field explode and come up with new ideas. 

So I learned a lot by following other researchers’ work on the AI frontier, but also at the same time I discovered a complete novel resource of knowledge. That’s the local knowledge and indigenous wisdom of the communities that I’ve worked with, and I think that is so beautiful. I want to translate this wisdom into a language of science that can benefit both scientific expertise and local knowledge in a more fair way. 

Listen to the full episode with David Dao, a climate change AI expert, and chief scientist at GainForest.Earth and hear about the importance of preserving cultural heritage with AI, how we can redefine climate finance, and winning the XPRIZE. 

In the early nineties, after a few months of studying electrical engineering at ETH Zurich, I realized that without diligence and corresponding effort, I would not pass the first preliminary diploma – with a failure rate of over 40%. So, I joined a small group of students who shared the same understanding, frequently solving and discussing tasks together until the evening. This repeated practice of the theoretical material throughout my studies eventually led to structured, analytical, focused, and goal-oriented thinking and acting in every situation. This quality became second nature to me.

Looking back, this is precisely the essential and most important competence I gained from my studies at ETH. The theory itself, I have rarely been able to apply in my professional life in the manufacturing industry over the years. Of course, the technical knowledge helps enormously to engage with customers, superiors, colleagues, or employees on an equal footing. However, the approach itself, the solution path, and the structure are clearly central.

What I lacked, however, was business knowledge as well as management and leadership skills. For this reason, I completed an Executive MBA as a postgraduate study in the mid-2000s. This combination of my foundational knowledge from ETH prepared me for leadership and management roles in various international Swiss companies.

My desire for more creative work led me to another postgraduate study in the mid-2010s, namely an MAS in Design Engineering and Innovation. Interestingly, it turned out that industrial design indeed delivers creative and innovative products and solutions, but the process itself – much like what I knew from ETH – is purely a problem-solving process: analysis, definition, concept, design, detailing, and realization.

Finally, five years ago, I realized a long-held wish and started my own company, Desigon GmbH. Since the first week of my self-employment, I have been fully booked with assignments from various customers in different industries. Initially, the focus of my market offering was on design and innovation, but today it is somewhat broader, encompassing the four core areas of analysis, solutions, management, and design. These are areas where I can apply my structured and analytical knowledge from ETH, the business knowledge from the EMBA, and the creative skills from Design Engineering in a combined manner. This rare combination apparently sells very well and ETH laid the foundation for it.

Too busy to listen to the We Are ETH podcast? We have summarized the three personal questions that our host Susan Kish asks each guest at the end of the episode. 

What was Alexis’ favourite place in Zurich? 

Without a doubt. It was the CAB relax, or as I like to call it, the nap room at ETH. 

It was the best place at ETH to take a break. It was calm. It was peaceful, it was quiet, there were little nap beds for you, and there was somebody working there whose job was to wake you up and tell you when it was time to go back to work, and it left me feeling recharged and more productive for the rest of the day. I honestly think that every university should have a nap room!

What did Alexis want to be when she grew up?

I wanted to be an actress, particularly on Broadway, not in the movies. I did a lot of theatre growing up, and I think it was maybe around high school when my dad sat me down and had a really serious talk. And he said, you should really go into science and just be an avid patron of the arts.

And I’ve absolutely taken that advice to heart. I did go into science. I am a season ticket holder at Playhouse Square, which is the second largest theatre district in the United States, only after Broadway.

What is Alexis reading? 

So I just recently finished two very interesting books. One was ‘The Nightingale’ by Kristen Hanna, that was a great book! I really loved it. It was a historical fiction set during World War II that followed two sisters in Nazi occupied France. That was phenomenal. I couldn’t put it down. I think I read it in two days.

And the other one was ‘The Dutch House’ by Anne Patchett. It was about a family, and it revolves around the house the children grew up in, and it takes place over several decades, so it was very interesting too.

What is fascinating Alexis right now?

I’ve always done research with healthy adults. And of course, any time that you move away from healthy adults, there are additional safety considerations and other aspects that you need to be very careful about when you’re working with more vulnerable populations. 

I’ve always been very interested in how research can help people with autism spectrum disorder or post traumatic stress disorder or anxiety or depression or even grief. So I’m moving a little bit more into these areas. But of course, doing so very carefully and very respectfully.

Listen to the full episode with Alexis Block, Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve University and hear about how robots can be affectionate as well as semi-spontaneous, and why we should embrace the rise of new technologies: https://circle.ethz.ch/podcast/

Unveiling My Dream

As an architect, my job is not just about designing buildings; it’s about creating spaces that fit into our world. Today, it’s crucial to think about the environment alongside functionality and looks. But no matter how great an idea is, it needs to be profitable to become a reality. So, I used my master’s thesis as an opportunity to find a sustainable solution that would also be profitable and widely used – Let’s go!

Mastering the Thesis

My chosen theme, “Steel Construction,” posed quite a challenge. With the support of my professor, I explored using recycled materials and found old rails to be a strong and standardized option. From an architectural perspective, these reused rails were perfect for building structures, being three times stronger than regular steel. The outcome? I designed an innovative apartment block where rooms could move, thanks to the load-bearing structure out of rails, creating extra living space. Besides saving a lot of CO2 and energy, this project could offer up to 25% more rentable area in a limited space – a big win for dense cities – But what now?

Venturing into the Market

While ETH Zurich provided great support during my thesis, taking my ideas to the market required proving their economic viability. After completing my thesis, I conducted a detailed feasibility study with experts. The results were promising: we achieved massive CO2 and energy savings, up to 98%, and cut primary structure construction costs by 50%, leading to overall construction savings of up to 20% – Yes!

Exploring Business Opportunities

Integrating rails into modern construction presents exciting possibilities. From cost-effective industrial frameworks to varied shelters and buildings, the potential is vast. Armed with insights from the feasibility study, I developed and patented foundational constructions, paving the way for my startup, 8G Architektur GmbH.

Navigating Future Challenges

While ETH Zurich kick-started my journey, new challenges await. Beyond overcoming technical hurdles, I’m ready to embark on the next phase. With the ongoing support of ETH Alumni and Ambassadors, I aim to tackle upcoming challenges, from launching my first project to forming strategic partnerships, and continuing to innovate – Let’s go!

By bridging academia and entrepreneurship, I hope not only to reshape architectural norms but also to leave a lasting, sustainable impact for future generations.

My fascination with technology flourished during my youth while tinkering with bicycles and mopeds. When choosing my field of study, ETH was at the top of my list, and in retrospect, studying mechanical engineering at ETH was a very fitting decision. In the final year of my bachelor’s, the choice between a focus project and a focus specialization was clear, and I opted for the hands-on project. Within just one year, our team of 9 students converted a BMW X5 to electric drive, with individual wheel drive on the front axle. The vehicle served as a research platform for steer-by-wire and torque vectoring. Implementing what we learned in our studies into a fully electric car was a tremendous success. The experience of assembling the individual puzzle pieces into a functioning machine, seeking solutions, and making decisions as a team continues to shape me today.

Even during my studies, I dreamed of having my own startup. So, the decision was quick when the idea of starting our own company arose with colleagues. At novaziun, we help companies transform their machines and vehicles into the electric era, guiding them from feasibility assessment to series production. Additionally, we develop, build, and distribute our fully electric monotrac, a quiet and vibration-free multitool for agriculture, municipalities, and green maintenance.

As a young father, balancing family and work is a central concern for me. Thus, a large part of the team works part-time. We also operate at two locations to accommodate different places of residence and to maintain proximity to ETH Zurich at our Zurich location, allowing us to share our positive experiences with interns. This enables us to guide ETH Zurich interns and give them insights into the innovative professional life, passing on the exciting experiences we had to younger generations.

These are, of course, challenges for the young startup, but they create a stable foundation for healthy and sustainable growth. novaziun fosters a working environment where every team member is valued, encouraged, and challenged. We deliberately provoke personal growth. We rely on new structures and the desire to discover and understand technologies. Actions are important to us. If you put them into words: Sustainability | Courage | Excitement | Integrity | Teamwork.

During my time at ETH, I learned the fundamentals to work today in various areas, from design to software development, from component selection to strategic decisions, and I continue to learn and grow every day.

It was a typical mid-April day, and I was enjoying a holiday in China. Back in Switzerland, my husband was hiking through the mountains, capturing the classic scenes of spring inching its way across the landscape. The images he sent were filled with lush greenery and blooming flowers, a testament to the season’s arrival. Yet, just a few days later, I received a starkly different photo from him—this time, it depicted Zurich blanketed in heavy snow. The unexpected shift was a stark reminder of the increasingly unpredictable weather patterns we are facing.

Within just two days, temperatures in Zurich had plummeted dramatically from an average of 24 degrees Celsius to below freezing. Such extreme weather conditions were rarely seen, but are anticipated to become more frequent in the years ahead. According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Earth’s climate is warming unequivocally, the various scenarios they outlined show that limiting warming to 1.5°C requires halving emissions by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2050.

A pivotal strategy to reduce emissions involves transitioning from fossil fuel power plants to renewable energy sources. In Switzerland, the installed capacity for wind and solar energy has risen sharply from almost zero in 2000 to almost 5 GW by 2022. Across the European Union, by 2023, solar and wind generated 27% of the EU’s electricity, while renewables in total accounted for 44%.

Although the pathway to net-zero emissions appears promising, numerous challenges lie ahead. One the main challenges is the intermittency and variability of renewables, which poses a big challenge for the stability of the power system, where supply and demand must be balanced all the time. According to NZZ, on April 22 (Monday), a significant short-term supply deficit, equivalent to the output of the Leibstadt nuclear power plant, occurred in the Swiss power system. Swissgrid swiftly intervened with reserved power to stabilize the grid, yet this event incurred costs estimated between 20 to 30 million Francs, which will ultimately be passed over to the consumers.

What has happened? According to Swissgrid, the weather forecasts didn’t manage to capture the sudden onset of winter after the very warm April days. On that Monday, it snowed down to the lowlands, covering the solar panels in snow. Consequently, solar power production dropped to practically zero, significantly deviating from the forecasted high solar generation, resulting in the sharp supply deficit.

Energy storage plays a crucial role in enabling a sustainable future by balancing supply and demand on the power grid, particularly as we increase our reliance on intermittent renewable energy like solar and wind. By efficiently storing excess energy and releasing it when there is supply deficit, energy storage helps stabilize the grid, minimise electricity curtailment, and reduce the reliance on fossil fuel-based power generation.

According to European Association for Storage of Energy (EASE), storage deployment needs to ramp-up to at least 14 GW/year in order to meet a target of approx. 200 GW by 2030. By 2050 at least 600 GW storage will be needed in the energy system, achieving these targets is essential to ensure a reliable and sustainable energy future, however, given where we are today, there is still a long way to go.