Global construction specialist Sika is stepping in as a key funding partner in ETH Zurich’s ambitious “Living Lab HIL” project—an initiative poised to redefine how buildings are designed, refurbished, and built in a carbon-constrained world.

 

With significant financial backing, Sika will support the project’s critical early phases—“Exploration” in 2026, “Synthesis” in 2027, and “Transfer” in 2028—laying the groundwork for a major overhaul and expansion of the ETH building that houses its Architecture and Civil Engineering departments. The project is being positioned as a real-world testbed for circular, resource-efficient, and digitally driven construction.

 

Touted as a one-of-a-kind global initiative, Living Lab HIL will run through 2035, pushing the boundaries of sustainable construction. Its mission: slash CO2 emissions, accelerate digitalization, and embed circular economy principles into the heart of the construction and real estate sectors. Researchers, students, and industry leaders will collaborate to develop and trial cutting-edge solutions—before bringing them to life in later project stages.

 

Patricia Heidtman, Chief Innovation and Sustainability Officer at Sika, comments: “As an innovation leader in the construction industry, we want to help drive the transformation towards sustainable construction methods. Living Lab HIL is a unique platform that actively combines research and practice while noticeably speeding up innovation.”

 

Her remarks underscore the project’s central ambition: closing the gap between theory and application in an industry under mounting pressure to decarbonize.

 

Matthias Kohler, Professor of Architecture and Digital Fabrication at ETH Zurich, states: “Industry and science have to act together in order to meet the climate targets. 

 

"In cooperation with Sika, we are trying out new solutions at Living Lab HIL that will then be implemented in the refurbishment phase of the ETH building starting in 2030. Thanks to leading industry partners, we can incorporate innovations from research directly into practice and show how sustainable, circular construction is shaping the future.”