December 1, 2025|
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|3 days agoZurich's 2,000-Watt Society: A Decade of Sustainable Living Experimentation
A ten-year review of the Hunziker Areal housing cooperative in Zurich, an experiment in sustainable living based on the '2,000-watt society' concept. The article explores the successes and challenges residents face in attempting to live within planetary energy limits.
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Generated IllustrationKey Takeaways
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- The Hunziker Areal housing complex is a 10-year experiment in sustainable living located in northern Zurich.
- The project was built by the 'mehr als wohnen' (more than living) cooperative.
- The 2,000-watt society concept was originally proposed by researchers at ETH Zurich in the late 1990s.
- Residents are prohibited from parking cars outside their homes.
- The complex utilizes district heating from a waste incineration plant and rooftop solar thermal systems.
By The Numbers
2,000 watts
continuous energy per person
1/3
of average Swiss consumption
16.6 kg
CO2-equivalent per square metre
20%
below limit
They Said
"If you want to live here, you give up your car. You can still drive but you canât park outside your door."