Zurich - Energy Coaching

	Energy coaches in Zurich, Photographer Dominique Meienberg

(Switzerland, 382,900 inhabitants, Climate Alliance member since 1993)

Zurich is using consultation to help with climate protection and is providing energy coaches to private citizens and building experts.

In 2008 more than three quarters of all Zurich residents voted for the 2000 watt society. Reduction of energy consumption by two-thirds, one ton of CO2 per person at most and the doing away entirely with nuclear energy were the central elements of the path Zurich chose. Zurich is now right in the middle of implementation.

The Energy Coaching pilot project is intended to make an important contribution. Twenty-one coaches are contributing their knowledge about energy efficiency and renewable energy for construction right now and they are showing private builders and those planning to how to implement futuristic, energy solutions. Home owners in the central heating district who are impacted by the closing of natural gas pipelines. They get a free consulting session to help with the switch to a new heating system and neighbourhood solutions are also being coordinated. The project has an excellent cost benefit ratio of approximately 30 francs spent for each ton of CO2 saved.

Fourteen percent of the coaching projects will attain the MINERGIE new construction level in the next five years and this is higher than goal of 10% that had been set. Zurich will provide CHF 2,782,300 (€ 2,305,420) in funding for the project until the end of 2012. Due to the positive results Zurich will use the next few months to decide how to continue offering the coaching program through the Environmental and Health Protection department starting in 2013.

www.stadt-zuerich.ch/energie-coaching