Accelerating and De-Risking Innovation in the Built Environment with NEST

NEST at EMPA operates as Switzerland’s revolutionary innovation laboratory that serves as a real-world testing ground for construction technologies, demonstrating how the industry can “do more with less” through rapid prototyping, circular construction methods, and digital fabrication solutions. This living ecosystem enables over 200 research and industry partners to collaborate in bridging the critical valley of death between innovation and market deployment, featuring fully disassemblable buildings, robotic construction systems, energy-efficient slabs using 70% less material, and integrated renewable energy solutions including hydrogen production and CO2 capture technologies. The failure-tolerant environment enables continuous iteration and improvement, spawning multiple startups and commercial applications while inspiring 10,000 annual visitors to adopt transformative approaches to construction delivery, with Project Production Management now recognized as a mandatory innovation topic for future development.