SonnenparkPLUS Wetzikon

Wetzikon, Switzerland. What looks like a seemingly normal home for families is in fact a small and independent power station. The architects of the Swiss company arento AG had the vision of a holistic energy self-sufficient and sustainable house – and the final result is one of a kind. The building offers a space of approximately 1.705m² divided in ten apartments on five floors which are all equipped with the latest technology. This house is designed to be energy self-sufficient, for that various systems were added to the whole concept. Firstly, the building has two photovoltaic systems mounted on it. One photovoltaic system was installed on the rooftop. The modules of the second system are spread on the balconies and the building façade. That way it is possible to use the power of the sun from all cardinal points. The modules of the façade and balconies are integrated into the building and have been produced in individual shapes and sizes by the Austrian company ertex solar based on the calculation of the department WINDGATE of the Swiss company Felix & Co. AG. In total there are 138 modules on the façade and the balconies. Together the two systems generate around 68.272 kilowatt-hours per year. Caused on a calculated consumption of 40.700 kilowatt-hours by the residents, there is enough solar energy left for feeding it into the power grid. Because of that fact the building has an impressive degree of self-sufficiency of 60 percent. This self-sufficiency was increased by the installation of an energy storage system in the basement of the house. This storage system also enables the use of solar energy on cloudy days or by night. During the winter the building is heated by a geothermal heat pump. Due to the pipes which are laid through the walls instead of the ground, as it is usually done in buildings, the efficiency of the heating has been increased. On the other hand during the summer that system can be used as an air cooling system, when cold water runs through those pipes. Another feature of the building is the so called “energy management system”. The residents just need to press one button and then their washing machines, dryers and dishwashers will automatically turn on when enough solar energy is produced during the day. If there is not enough solar energy, the machines are running with the power from the grid. In general the residents are strongly advised to use their electronic appliances when energy is produced throughout sunlight hours. Besides the photovoltaic systems the residents of the building are given the option to share an electric vehicle. By several car charging stations in the parking garage, the residents are able to use the solar energy for the car as well.