Collaboration – the Key to the Future of Green Energy
Limmattal Energy Hub (LEZ)
A Story about Navigating Technical Challenges, Comprehensive Participation Processes, and the People Behind the Project.
Participation
We involve experts, politicians, residents, and environmentalists equally in the development process.
Agility
In this project, we learn to embody maximum trust in the process.
Innovation
The new facility is a pioneer in Switzerland in the field of power-to-gas and CO₂ capture.
It may not come as a surprise that an engineering and planning company engages with energy-related topics. However, in the Limeco project, where we contribute to shaping and planning a new energy hub for the Limmattal region, it goes beyond the conversion of waste or wastewater into renewable energy.
About the Project
With the Energy Strategy 2050, the federal government outlines energy goals that also impact the construction of the Limmattal Energy Hub. Limeco sees this as an opportunity to create an energy center that is not only climate-neutral but also optimally tailored to societal needs.
”A Thirty-Year Journey, Route Uncertain” could have been a fitting alternative title for this story. In the master planning of the Limmattal Energy Hub (LEZ), the focus is indeed on the needs-based renewal and development of the facility over the next 30 years.
The implementation of this vision entails a diverse field of tasks for TBF, covering a variety of topics. The transformation of waste incineration plants (WIP) and wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) into a plant that not only recycles waste or treats wastewater, but also produces heat and electricity and functions as a climate-neutral operation itself, requires the integration of a wide variety of perspectives.
In addition to the eight municipalities supporting Limeco, conservation associations, political bodies, and citizens are equally involved in the construction of the facility. Not to be forgotten are the employees who currently operate and will operate the facilities in the future. Thinking solely in terms of technical solutions here would fall short.
“Such a project stands or falls with the willingness to listen.”
Christoph Rothenhöfer, Architect and Partner
What particularly motivated you about this project?
This project allows me to develop innovative solutions for technical challenges within interdisciplinary teams while making a positive societal impact.
What has been the biggest challenge for you so far?
In such a complex project, the diversity of perspectives is immense, and managing it is a huge challenge. However, withtrust, patience, and a touchofpersistence, we have been able to inspire stakeholders for our participatory approach.
What are you particularly proud of?
We have successfully created inspiring spaces for dialogue and transformed initial skepticism into energy through participation – that makes me very proud.
Questions like ”What energy supply does the Limmattal need in 30 years?” have a more direct impact on society than questions about specific technical implementation. Therefore, in an iterative process, we first returned to this question in workshops with the supporting municipalities and subsequently engaged with the public in exhibitions. The goal was to explore what it takes to transform a facility park into an optimally located energy hub at this site.
Building on already gathered needs and ideas, we commissioned three teams of architects to support us in the functional and architectural implementation of the LEH. Again, the focus was on the journey itself, the collaborative thinking process. From discussions with a specially assembled jury, we were able to draw a variety of practical and design insights for the future LEH, forming the basis for the design plan and the subsequent architectural competition.
Thanks to the consistently lived participation, we achieved the current broad support for the project in politics, the population, and environmental conservation.
Our Milestones
Our approach of ”Exploring Together” guides us through this complex project, which is expected to span approximately 30 years in total. Step by step, we are developing the Limmattal Energy Hub on the Limeco site until 2050. What milestones have we reached on our journey so far?
Talking Together
In several meetings, TBF collaboratively developed a white paper with the supporting municipalities, environmental associations, employees, and neighbors of Limeco. This white paper served as a collaborative and agile project agenda, capturing next steps, open questions, and shared visions for the energy center.
Collaborative Conception
Three architecture teams were tasked with creating designs within a pilot plan. The result was three thought experiments, each approaching the ”Limmattal Energy Hub in 30 years” in its own way. All added values were summarized in a quality-assuring synthesis report.
Integrating Needs
With our insights from the dialogue process, we engaged with the public. By incorporating the collected feedback, we formed the basis for the preliminary project.
Figures & Facts
CO₂ Capture
In waste incineration, CO₂-containing flue gases are released into the atmosphere. To prevent this, a technology for capturing these CO₂ emissions is planned to be installed at the Limmattal Energy Hib (LEH) in the future.
31
31 years the project takes from the tendering phase to commissioning.
18.000
households will be supplied with electricity by the Multi-Energy hub from 2050 onwards.
25
TBF employees from 5 networks are involved in this project.
Power-to-gas
Through biological methanation, green energy is generated at the Limmattal Energy Hub in collaboration between wastewater treatment plant (WTP) and waste incineration plant (WIP). Due to its gaseous state, it is more easily storable and transportable.
People in the Network
Unleashing synergies: The multidisciplinary project team!
Especially because this project involves both innovative energy solutions and the energy we invest as individuals, we operate within a broad network. This network brings together the expertise of individuals in areas such as business consulting, process engineering, nature and environment, process automation, civil and structural engineering, and many more.
With this strong team, we support the Limeco company along with its supporting municipalities Dietikon, Geroldswil, Oberengstringen, Oetwila.d.L., Schlieren, Unterengstringen, Urdorf, and Weiningen. Additionally, we closely collaborate with the architecture teams Dürig, Salewski Nater Kretz, and Baukunst, as well as landscape architects Studio Vulkan. We also occasionally involve experts in environmental protection, politics, and representation of residents.
