MINERGIE – What is it?

In order to be successful, a building standard must benefit the occupants as well as the environment. MINERGIE buildings provide health and comfort benefits that make them more attractive than conventional buildings.

These simple characteristics have a dramatic impact on the performance of a building in energy efficiency and comfort. Occupants enjoy a constant stream of fresh air and an even room temperature across the building thanks to the ventilation system. The airtight building envelope offers a better barrier against external noise, pollutants and allergens.

The simplicity of the Minergie requirements is one of its mains strengths.

Four Levels of Certification

Minergie
Focuses on energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy sources, and indoor air quality
Minergie-eco
Also considers the gray energy embedded in building materials and requires the use of sustainable building materials
Minergie-P-eco
Certifies buildings which are even more ambitious in saving energy
Minergie-A-eco
Certificate for zero-energy buildings producing at least their own energy requirements on site (for example, by photovoltaic panels)

IUCN: Certified both LEED and MINERGIE-P

IUCN headquarters in Gland (Geneva) fulfill both LEED and MINERGIE-P requirements. The award-winning building designed by agps architecture (Zurich, Los Angeles) opened in 2010. – Photo: Holcim Foundation

The story started in the US

In 1973, the oil crisis suddenly made energy efficiency a priority across the world. RuediKriesi, then a young Swiss engineer, traveled to the United States in 1977 to learn how innovative solar buildings reduced their energy consumption. What he saw inspired him.Kriesi then developed an energy-efficient building technology that would yield low energy consumption, but also an improved indoor climate and correspondingly a higher building value.The findings were finally condensed in a standard that would be embraced not only by environmentalists, but by the entire building industry and investors. In 1997, MINERGIE was born and started a steep ascent.


Soaring Market Penetration

MINERGIE has achieved the world's highest markt penetration of any voluntary building standard. In Switzerland, currentliy 25 percent of all new buildings are MINERGIE-certified. 20'000 buildings have been certified. Average size: 11'000 Sq Ft of heated floor area. – Source: MINERGIE Association

Economic Benefits of MINERGIE

High Return on Investment
MINERGIE buildings yield higher prices on the market and are more attractive to buyers. They are less vulnerable to real estate downturns and energy cost shocks. Swiss banks also offer lower mortgage rates for MINERGIE buildings.

A Source of Innovation
MINERGIE’s success has created a demand for innovative building technology. The Swiss construction sector has acquired cutting-edge technology and gained valuable experience, which in turn has created excellent export opportunities for Swiss industry.

Pressure on Building Codes
Since its introduction in 1997, the MINERGIE standard has had a great impact on the passage of new requirements in Swiss building codes.

Using Market Forces to Promote Sustainability

Building standards play an important role in reducing theenergy consumption of society. Most industrialized countrieshave developed voluntary building standards that gobeyond the requirements of building codes.When designed properly, a voluntary building standard canprovide a strong market incentive for industry leaders andinvestors to push society toward higher energy efficiency.

LEED®

"Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" is anAmerican voluntary building standard that awards pointsfor a variety of ecological criteria ranging from energy efficiency and indoor air quality to the use of renewable energyand sustainable building materials. LEED is one of themost well-known standards as American companies buildtheir offi ces abroad according to it.

MINERGIE®

MINERGIE is a voluntary building standard that focuses onreducing energy consumption and improving the comfortand value of buildings. At its core are strict caps on energyconsumption per area. Both MINERGIE and LEED apply tonew construction and retrofi ts of most types of buildings.MINERGIE is owned by a non-profit association.

Standards in Comparison

Voluntary building standards and labels can be hard to comparesince they may pursue different goals.MINERGIE has strict requirements in terms of energy efficiency while LEED allows substituting energy efficiencywith criteria such as proximity to public transportation, forinstance.In terms of buildings actually built according to the twostandards, there are approximately as many LEED buildingsin the United States as there are MINERGIE buildings inSwitzerland. In comparison, the population of the UnitedStates is 310 million while Switzerland has about 8 millioninhabitants.


Case study: approximate energy requirements for a schoolhouse in Minnesota, measured in kilowatt hours per square foot


Soaring Market Penetration

MINERGIE has achieved the world's highest market penetration of any voluntary building standard. In Switzerland, currently 25 percent of all new buildings are MINERGIE-certified. 20'000 buildings have been certified. Average size: 11'000 Sq Ft of heated floor area. – Source: MINERGIE Association


New Perspective forNew Orleans

The Special NO 9 House wascommissioned by the Make It Right Foundationand designed by KieranTimberlakefor thereconstruction of Lower Ninth Ward, NewOrleans. The LEED Platinum certified prefabhouse melts local tradition and cutting-edge building technology, consuming65 percent less energy relative to acomparable home in the same climate. – Photo: Will Crocker.

The story startedin the US

In 1973, the oil crisis suddenly made energy efficiency a priority across the world. RuediKriesi, then a young Swiss engineer,traveled to the United States in 1977 to learnhow innovative solar buildings reduced theirenergy consumption. What he saw inspiredhim.Kriesi then developed an energy-efficientbuilding technology that would yield low energyconsumption. The findings were finally condensed in astandard that would be embraced not onlyby environmentalists, but by the entire buildingindustry and investors. In 1997, MINERGIEwas born and started a steep ascent.

Four Levels of Certification

MINERGIE – Focuses on energy efficiency, the use of renewableenergy sources, and indoor air quality
MINERGIE-eco – Also considers the gray energy embeddedin building materials and requires the useof sustainable building materials
MINERGIE-P-eco – Certifies buildings which are even more ambitiousin saving energy
MINERGIE-A-eco – Certificate for zero-energy buildings producingat least their own energy requirementson site (for example, by photovoltaicpanels)

Healthier Buildings

In order to be successful, a building standard must benefit the occupants as well asthe environment. MINERGIE owes its successto the health and comfort benefits thatits buildings offer in comparison to conventionalbuildings.Occupants of MINERGIE buildings enjoy aconstant stream of fresh air and an evenroom temperature thanks to the ventilationsystem. The airtight building envelopeoffers a better barrier against external noise,pollutants and allergens.

Economic Benefitsof MINERGIE

High Return on Investment –MINERGIE buildings yield higher prices onthe market and are more attractive to buyers.They are less vulnerable to real estatedownturns and energy cost shocks. Swissbanks also offer lower mortgage rates forMINERGIE buildings.
A Source of Innovation – MINERGIE’s success has created a demandfor innovative building technology. The Swissconstruction sector has acquired cuttingedgetechnology and gained valuable experience,which in turn has created excellentexport opportunities for Swiss industry.

Eight Typical Characteristics of a MINERGIE House:

MINERGIE House

1. Compact shape
2. Airtight envelope
3. Uninterrupted thermal insulation
4. Controlled ventilationsystem with heatrecovery
5. Adjustable external solar shading
6. Efficient equipmentfor heating, cooling anddomestic hot waterproduction
7. Water-based system for the distributionof heat for heating andcooling
8. Use of renewable energy sources


Leutschenbach schoolhouse, Minergie certified, City of Zurich, designed by Christian Kerez, 2009. – Photo: Walter Mair


Milchbuck schoolhouse, Minergie certified, City of Zurich, retrofi tted by B.E.R.G. architects, 2008. – Photo: Walter Mair