24. brenet Status-Seminar
From Consumer to Prosumer –
How Buildings Shape Switzerland’s
Energy System
August 20th, 2026 in Rotkreuz (LU)
How can you unlock the potential of your buildings within the energy system – economically, at scale, and in a grid-supportive way?
As renewable energy generation expands, electrification of heating and mobility increases, and grid constraints become more frequent, buildings are taking on a new role within the energy system. As prosumers, they can generate, store and manage energy, contributing to both grid stability and decarbonisation.
The 24th brenet Status Seminar, «From Consumer to Prosumer – How Buildings Shape Switzerland's Energy System», presents the latest findings and research approaches from applied research, featuring contributions and real-world projects from Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences and industry partners.
Objective: To translate current research findings into practical applications and provide professionals with concrete approaches for implementation in their own projects.
brenet
building and renewable energies network of technology
brenet – From Applied Research to Practice
brenet accelerates the transfer of research and innovation into practice on the path to net zero – with a focus on sustainable construction, renewable energy and building technologies. As a network of Swiss universities of applied sciences, brenet connects research, planning, industry and the public sector.
«Only the future interests me, because that’s where I am going to spend the rest of my life.»
Albert Schweitzer
brenet provides a nationwide network and the organizational framework to drive the transfer of applied research into practice. Through exchange formats, knowledge pooling, and the creation of connections, we support our member institutes and industry players in jointly developing and implementing scalable solutions for the transition to net zero.
Currently, nine Swiss higher education institutes are members of brenet. brenet is an association under Art. 60 ff. of the Swiss Civil Code and was founded in 2002.
brenet ResearchLunch #6
Practical insights from applied research for researchers, companies, public authorities, and industry players – at lunchtime
Participation is free for students and staff of brenet member institutes.
For external participants, the participation fee is CHF 30.
Event languages: DE, EN, FR, IT.
With automatic subtitle translation in multiple languages (AI-supported).
Save the date
brenet ResearchLunch #6 on 02.11.2026 – Laboratories on circular construction
brenet Partnerships
brenet partnerships support the network and contribute their perspectives from practice, industry, and public administration to the exchange with applied research – with the aim of strengthening the transfer of research results into practice.
Member Institutes
The member institutes demonstrate a high level of competence in one or more of the following areas: sustainable construction, building services engineering and renewable energies.
Research: Buildings & Quarters, Services
Ecole d'ingénieurs et d'architectes de Friborg (EIA-FR)
Laboratory energy environment and architecture
Fribourg
Research: Buildings & Quarters, Services, Research: Renewalbe Energies
FHNW University of Applied Sciences
Institute for Automation
windish
Research: Buildings & Quarters, Services
ZHAW, School of Engineering Institute for Energy Systems and Fluid Engineering (IEFE)
Winterthur
Research: Buildings & Quarters, Research: Renewalbe Energies
Lucerne University | Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture | Building Technology and Energy (IGE) | Lucerne
Research: Buildings & Quarters, Services, Research: Renewalbe Energies
FHNW, University of Architecture, Construction and Geomatics | Institute Sustainability and Energy in Construction (INEB) | Muttenz
Research: Buildings & Quarters, Services
Haute école du paysage, d'ingénierie et d'architecture (HEPIA) | Laboratory for Energy Environment and Architecture (LEEA)
Geneve
Research: Buildings & Quarters, Research: Renewalbe Energies
OST - Eastern Swiss University of Applied Sciences
Institute for Solar Technology SPF
Rapperswil
Research: Buildings & Quarters, Services, Research: Renewalbe Energies
SUPSI | Dipartimento Ambiente, Costruzioni e Design | Istituto di Sostenibilità Applicata all’Ambiente costruito (ISAAC) | Mendrisio
The Executive Board
Prof. Barbara Sintzel
Chairwoman
INEB | FHNW
Director Institute Sustainability and Energy in Construction
Hofackerstrasse 30
CH-4132 Muttenz
Daniel Philippen
Member of the board
Prof. Dr. Oliver Steiger
Member of the board
Fabian Carigiet
Member of the board
ZHAW School of Engineering Abteilung Maschinenbau, Energietechnik und Aviatik
Technikumstrasse 9
8400 Winterthur
Prof. Francesco Frontini
Member of the board
SUPSI - Dipartimento ambiente costruzioni e design (DACD)
Via Flora Ruchat-Roncati 15
CH-6850 Mendrisio
Head of Coordination Office
Janina Schombach
Head of the Coordination Office
brenet
Attn. Janina Schombach
c/o Institut Nachhaltigkeit und Energie am Bau INEB | FHNW
Hofackerstrasse 30
4132 Muttenz
The Advisory Board
The brenet advisory board supports the competence network with its connections to the economy, authorities and politics.
The members of the advisory board accompany and promote the activities of the network.
Sjef de Bruijn
Head of the Solar Energy Systems Division
Ernst Schweizer AG, Metallbau
8908 Hedingen
Enrico Slongo
Director
Amt für Hochbauten der Stadt Zürich
8001 Zürich
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Competences
The cooperation of the brenet member institutes opens up a wide range of competences to our research and development partners. With the competence matrix (in german) you will find the optimal combination of knowledge of the individual institutes for your project. The administrative office will be happy to coordinate your request with the various competencies of the members.
To the brenet competence matrices: