How can Zurich build in a more climate-friendly way?

At the latest City of Zurich Klimaforum at Viadukt, we explored exactly this question together with around 50 experts from across the entire value chain – from developers and architects to construction companies and public administration.

In an intensive Innovation Sprint, we turned potential solutions into concrete plans to advance future-proof construction in the city.

Eight project ideas across three key areas

1. Raising awareness and supporting clients

• Establish net zero as a standard requirement in tenders and support developers with practical planning tools.
• Pool public procurement of materials to create reliable markets for low-emission building materials.

2. Policy & public administration as enablers

• Create incentives through smart regulation, for example by rewarding ambitious CO₂ reductions with more flexible parking requirements (avoiding CO₂-intensive underground car parks).
• Policy Lab: Use digital simulation models and citizen councils to iteratively test new regulations for feasibility and acceptance before implementation.
• Targeted advocacy for ambitious CO₂ limits in the Canton of Zurich.

3. Scaling standards & circular construction

• ReUse Booster: Build a nationwide market for reusable building components, with a focus on steel, windows and concrete.
• Create interoperability between Swiss building life-cycle assessments and international ESG reporting standards (e.g. the GHG Protocol) to make embodied carbon savings financially relevant.

The key learning

The potential for climate-friendly construction in the Zurich region is huge. The key lies in collaboration across the value chain and regulation: only when pioneers from business, planning and public administration work together in a coordinated way can solutions and innovations be scaled.

A big thank you to all participants for their energy and valuable input, as well as to our team and the City of Zurich for making this format possible together!