NEST opens up for online tours

As of now, the opportunity to take a virtual NEST tour is open to anyone interested. The two research institutes, namely the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) and Eawag (the aquatic research institute of the ETH domain) are now offering online viewings of their research and innovation building NEST, located in Dübendorf in the canton of Zurich, to the general public around the world.

According to a press release issued by Empa, guests are able to visit both the individual building modules as well as the overarching research platforms (such as the Energy Hub and the Water Hub). In so doing, they are able to move freely through the building, meeting experts who share their knowledge and insights with the visitors as they go. In addition, there are “countless innovative materials, technologies and processes to discover” in the form of text, image, video and audio content.

“The fact that NEST can now also be experienced virtually with the launch of the new tour is an important and up-to-date milestone”, comments Peter Richner, Deputy CEO of Empa and responsible for NEST, before adding: “The virtual tour now offers direct insight into the numerous activities in and around NEST to a much wider audience”.

Opened in 2016, approximately 150 partners from the fields of research, industry and the public sector collaborate at NEST. Their overarching objective is to test and further develop innovative technologies and construction concepts under real-world conditions in addition to demonstrating how these can be used on an everyday basis.