Laboratory greenhouse facility handed over on the Hönggerberg campus
At the beginning of the year, the Institute of Molecular Plant Biology moved to the H?nggerberg campus. The institute is now also putting a new greenhouse with a laboratory area into operation for its plant research on the campus.
At the beginning of the year, the Institute of Molecular Plant Biology (IMPB) moved from the LFW building opposite the ETH main building to the H?nggerberg campus, where it has taken up residence in the south wing of the HPT teaching, research, workshop and office building.
The new HPY building, a greenhouse with a laboratory area on the H?nggerberg, has now been handed over to the institute. The building is located on the eastern edge of the campus next to the older HPW greenhouse.
The research building was constructed between 2024 and July 2025 and is divided into two parts:
- a greenhouse area with six departments (sections) and
- a zone for laboratory work – the so-called head building – with the corresponding infrastructure: i. e. pottery, equipment, washroom, cloakroom, and storage and ancillary rooms for technical equipment.
Ideal conditions for teaching and research
The HPY offers ideal conditions for researchers: temperature, humidity, and light intensity can be regulated for each greenhouse chamber – an important prerequisite for simulating different growth conditions and studying plant physiological processes in detail.
Modern LED lights are used for this purpose, which are characterized by high energy efficiency, uniform light distribution, and low heat generation. Their long service life and low maintenance requirements make them particularly suitable for continuous use in plant research.
In the greenhouse area, it is now possible to pursue various research approaches, including the cultivation of cassava, also known as manioc, where root formation plays an important role in research, and the cultivation of Arabidopsis thaliana, also known as thale cress, the model organism for plant research.
In addition, plants such as peas, beans, and Nicotiana (tobacco) can now be used on site for the spring internship “Fundamentals of Biology.” Plant work and initial analyses are carried out directly on site in the laboratory and work area of the head building.
HPY in pictures
Sustainability
The building has besides the lights a lot to offer in terms of sustainability: “The single-story head building is a timber construction with no load-bearing interior walls. This makes it possible to convert the building for future uses without the need for extensive structural alterations,” says Weis, the project manager from the Real Estate Management department. “If more space is needed in the future, the greenhouse can easily be extended to the north by more chambers thanks to its modular design.”
To ensure a sustainable energy supply, the building has been connected to the campus's Anergy Grid. A photovoltaic system on the roof provides electricity. Both are designed to keep emissions low. The roof is also heavily greened and serves as a retention area, allowing water to be temporarily stored and, ideally, evaporate again.
Outside, an open retention area was created towards the Albert Steiner Garden and the area was upgraded with renaturation measures. To this end, stone piles were created to provide shelter for various animal species such as lizards, dead wood was deposited, and shrubs were planted. Some of the paved areas around the building were laid out as gravel lawns.
“With the renovated HPT and the new HPY, we offer researchers and students ideal conditions for their work and education on the H?nggerberg campus.”Ulrich Weidmann, Vice President for Infrastructure and Sustainability at ETH Zurich
Special surroundings
The new building blends in very well with the open landscape between the Steiner Garden on the campus and the edge of the K?ferberg forest. An early sketch from 1967 by Willi Neukom, who designed the Steiner Garden, already clearly shows this desired interconnection between the park-like surroundings and the adjacent nature.
“We have preserved this connecting character by incorporating the existing outdoor space very strongly into our plans,” explains Ulrich Weidmann, Vice President for Infrastructure and Sustainability. “When designing and planting the outdoor space, we took care to preserve the visual axis from the Steiner Garden towards the surrounding landscape,” adds Weis. All existing trees were also preserved.
The members of the IMPB have already settled well into the renovated HPT building and are now looking forward to putting the newly completed HPY building into operation and using it for teaching and research.
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