Futuristic Eco Hut Like No Other

Swissinfo reports a futuristic eco hut in the shadow of the Matterhorn is almost good to go with final preparations being made for a spring opening.

This entails a scientist 102 miles away at Zurich's ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) being poised at a computer management system where information on such things as weather forecasts, expected visitor numbers and energy levels will be analyzed to control the state-of-the-art energy systems being used.

Chief architect, Andrea Deplazers from the ETH told Swissinfo: "What makes the Monte Rosa unique is the way in which the different energy systems have been combined and are controlled optimally and react dynamically. The building gains its energy from an overflow of energy. What we need we use, what we don't need we store. Tomorrow might be a nice day and we have 120 people in the hut. So, do we have enough energy? The next day might be bad weather and the place is empty; what do we do?"

While this information is being fed to a computer in Zurich, the solar, waste and ventilation systems can be turned on and off automatically depending on the need. Total carbon emissions from the hut are expected to be just one-third those of the existing shelter, with 90 per cent of its electricity coming from the sun thanks to an ultra-modern photovoltaic system integrated into the southern facade. The remaining ten per cent is provided by a rapeseed oil system to meet peak demand. During the summer months, water from melting glaciers will be collected and stored in a large reservoir 40 meters above the hut.

The so-called mountain hut sits at an altitude of 2,883 meters (about 9,549 feet) and houses 120 visitors. It cost $6.3 million to build and is nothing like the original Monte Rosa stone shelter built in 1895 that was in need of refurbishment.

Looking somewhat like a slice cut from the Guggenheim in Balboa, the silver aluminum polygon structure blends in to its rocky foundation yet is far from being camouflaged. Chief construction manager, Hans Zurniwen told Swissinfo, "It's one of the craziest things I've ever done," he said proudly. "It's a kind of prototype."

Apart from hikers and climbers using the hut as a hospice, it will also be a research station for ETH students. "The Monte Rosa is like a biosphere project," said Desplazes. "Some aspects are very specific to this place, but others – how to deal without electricity, water or piping – can be transposed to towns and cities."

Interesting for sure, but my gaze keeps returning to that other truly natural structure – the Matterhorn – now that's impressive. See a video of the hut at:

Photo courtesy of swissinfo.ch.