- Story
“A forward-looking benchmark for education buildings”
24.06.2026 A new campus building for Bern University of Applied Sciences is under construction in Biel. How does the new building fare in terms of sustainability? Interview with Bernhard Marbach, building economist and expert in sustainable development.
Key points at a glance
- The Campus Biel/Bienne is a pioneering project in the field of sustainability.
- The use of a timber-hybrid construction results in a significantly better carbon footprint than that of a structure built entirely of concrete.
- A flexible building design, on-site power generation and the use of lake water ensure sustainable operation.
Bernhard Marbach, BFH has pledged itself to sustainability. Does the Campus Biel/Bienne live up to this commitment?
The Campus Biel/Bienne has an exemplary sustainability profile. It combines energy-efficient technology, sustainable materials and conceptual flexibility. As such, the project sets a forward-looking benchmark for sustainable construction – not only in the Swiss higher-education sector, but also for public education and administrative buildings in general. The Campus Biel/Bienne is being built as a timber-hybrid structure, certified to ‘Minergie-P’ and ‘SNBS Gold’ standards, and also meets the ecobau health and environmental criteria; in addition, the main building is certified with the ‘Swiss Timber’ label.
About the interviewee: Bernhard Marbach
Bernhard Marbach is project manager at the Sustainability Competence Centre at Marti Gesamtleistungen AG, which is developing the Campus Biel/Bienne in partnership with Marti AG Bern as the general contractor. In this role, Bernhard Marbach accompanies construction projects through the various project phases, with a focus on economic and environmental sustainability.
The wide-ranging responsibilities of this qualified construction economist (UAS) and expert in sustainable development also include providing specialised support for certification processes for sustainability labels such as SNBS, Minergie and GI (Good Indoor Climate).
He goes by the credo that cost-effectiveness and sustainability in construction are not mutually exclusive; on the contrary: “If you plan economically and build efficiently, the result will be eco-friendly. By avoiding of unnecessary elements and overdesign, you lower construction and operating costs and significantly reduce carbon emissions.”
What do these certifications say about the sustainability of the Campus Biel/Bienne?
The most effective way to promote sustainable construction is through the energy-efficient and resource-efficient operation of a building, which is what ‘Minergie-P’ stands for. A well-insulated building envelope minimises heat loss and lowers energy consumption. Efficient building technology combined with smart energy monitoring allows the continuous logging, analysis and control of energy consumption, enabling long-term efficiency gains and timely intervention.
Another influencing factor in sustainable construction and operation is the choice of materials: we work strictly in compliance with the rigorous ecobau criteria, with a focus on durable, low-servicing, recyclable and low-emission building materials. The use of eco-friendly materials guarantees a healthy indoor climate, cuts carbon emissions and brings down maintenance and upkeep costs. ‘SNBS Gold’ stands for a holistic approach that takes into account ecological, economic and social criteria, such as publicly accessible communal areas; life-cycle-conscious, compact construction methods; and close-to-nature outdoor spaces that promote biodiversity. In addition, with its central location between the railway station and the lake, the entire Campus Biel/Bienne is easily reached on foot and offers good public transport connections.
As the new home to the School of Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering and others, a large proportion of the campus building is made of timber. What is the advantage of this?
The campus building is a timber-hybrid structure. As such it combines carbon storage and the low grey energy of timber with the technical strengths of concrete: the carbon footprint is substantially lower than when using solid construction throughout.
Prefabricated timber elements reduce manufacturing energy and shorten construction time, while concrete cores provide structural reinforcement, sound insulation and what is called ‘thermal inertia’, which reduces the need for heating and cooling. Basically, recycled concrete containing low-carbon cement is used where high loads, ground contact or technical requirements make it necessary, whilst sustainably sourced timber is used where prefabrication, low weight and ecological benefits are particularly advantageous.
On top of that, we practise what is known as ‘system separation’ (see Info Box) and design easily accessible vertical service shafts to facilitate maintenance and simplify servicing and repairs.
Flexible timber-hybrid construction
The above-ground structure of the Campus Biel/Bienne consists mainly of a timber-hybrid construction. The timber used is exclusively FSC-certified and sourced from sustainably managed forests in Switzerland and neighbouring European countries, and the central building has also been awarded the ‘Swiss Timber’ label by Lignum.
The below-ground levels and the vertical service cores – lift shafts, stairwells and building technology – use recycled concrete; this contains carbon-reduced cement and a high proportion of recycled aggregate, and meets the ecobau criteria.
The building design offers flexibility of use and is based on the principle of system separation. The layers of building components are categorised into primary, secondary and tertiary systems according to their service life and replaceability: the primary system comprises the permanent load-bearing structure and services; the secondary system comprises adaptable components with a long service life (e.g. internal walls, ceilings, façades); the tertiary system comprises short-lived elements such as floor and wall coverings and building technology. This makes maintenance, refurbishments and future extensions easier and minimises disruption to operations.
Sustainability is also about renewable energy. How is the Campus Biel/Bienne positioned in this regard?
On-site power generation plays a leading role here: photovoltaic panels are being installed on the roofs of the technical facilities, and the electricity they generate is used entirely within the Campus Biel/Bienne. No electricity is fed into the public grid, which means that a maximum proportion of self-consumption is achieved and the system can be operated extremely efficiently. This not only boosts energy efficiency but also improves cost-effectiveness compared with systems that generate a high proportion of surplus electricity.
In the context of the ‘Minergie-P’ certification, the photovoltaic system is a core component of the energy concept and is needed to meet the requirements for a sustainable and efficient energy supply. At the same time, where a system is tailored to a specific project, based on a grid-serving concept and well maintained, this results in very low electricity costs in the long term and significantly reduces dependence on external electricity prices.
The use of lake water is another special feature of the Campus Biel/Bienne.
You’re right, the use of lake water is not a mere technical detail, but a key component of the energy-efficient supply system for the Campus Biel/Bienne. Lake water is used as an environmentally friendly cooling source and is channelled through a local cooling network to provide air conditioning for the buildings; compression chillers are used for technical process cooling. During the heating season, heat is extracted from the lake water and made available by heat pumps via the local heating network. This set-up contributes significantly to low primary energy consumption and an ecological energy supply.
Hot water is also supplied via the local heating network and, where necessary, heated to the required temperature using heat pumps. The integrated use of lake water, heat pumps and building control systems reduces overall energy consumption, improves operational efficiency and enhances the sustainability of the building concept.
The construction of the Campus Biel/Bienne is entering the home stretch. How would you sum up the situation so far?
The new Campus Biel/Bienne can be regarded as a trailblazing project in the context of public education buildings in Switzerland. What stands out particularly is the consistent combination of multiple ambitious approaches: wood-hybrid construction, ‘Minergie-P’, ‘SNBS Gold’, a sustainable materials strategy, and innovative energy and operational concepts. Although the Campus Biel/Bienne is not Switzerland’s first sustainable timber construction project, its size, complexity and intended use make it one of the most ambitious examples. Here, sustainability is not treated as an afterthought, but is implemented as an integral planning principle.
The campus is a prime example of a holistically conceived, sustainable and forward-looking construction project that successfully combines ecological, economic and functional requirements. Much of the success of the project can be attributed to the collaboration between the contractor and Bern University of Applied Sciences, as the building’s user, in that it defined clear objectives and demonstrated a high level of engagement.
This complex and challenging construction project also owes its successful implementation to a host of dedicated experts, planners and partner companies who contributed an outstanding level of expertise, motivation and commitment to the task. Only by working as a team is it possible to achieve such a forward-looking place of education and work with enduring appeal that extends far beyond the region.
