The New Monte Rosa Hut (nicknamed "
Mountain Crystal") in Switzerland
was awarded the Holcim Awards Bronze Europe 2008. The autonomous alpine shelter was authored by
Professor Andrea Deplazes from the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich). The 120-bed hut sits 2,883 meters above sea level, and is
currently the most complex wooden structure in Switzerland. It
generates over ninety percent of its own energy - excluding cooking - and is c
overed in a shining aluminum shell with a photovoltaic system integrated into its southern façade. Warm air and water are both generated by s
olar collectors installed in the grounds. Ice melt is collected to provide hot showers and flushing toilets, with a
bacteria-based
microfiltration system allowing the graywater to be reused for the toilets. With so much to coordinate, software developed at
ETH Zurich operates the hut's technology. The New Monte Rosa Hut just closed for the winter in September, but will reopen to
hikers and mountain climbers in April.
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