Swiss young entrepreneurs fight rising heating costs

The cold season is at hand, and according to experts, heating prices will increase by about 40 percent. This causes stomach pain in humans. Two young Swiss inventors want to fix the situation.

Felix Bünning (32) and Benjamin Huber (31) developed a self-learning algorithm for smart thermostats. This should save an average of one-third of annual heating costs. In Dübendorf ZH, Blick visited his new company Viboo, a subsidiary of the Swiss Federal Materials Testing and Research Laboratories (Empa).

Environmental protection instead of Formula 1

“Initially I wanted to be an engineer in Formula 1,” said Felix Bünning. “But my job at Engineers Without Borders showed me that there are more important things in the world.”

Instead, he decided to specialize in renewable energy and building energy systems. Bünning and Huber met while studying engineering at ETH in Zurich. From this collaboration came the algorithm on which Viboo is based.

The heart of the system is a self-learning algorithm. This calculates a model of the building based on the valve position of the radiator and the room temperature. After two weeks of learning, he can preset the temperature up to twelve hours using weather data from the internet and the current position of the sun.

“For example, the system may preheat less on a warm day because it knows it will get hotter as the day progresses,” says Felix Bünning.

Two researchers have been working for nearly a year to make the product marketable. The war in Ukraine and the consequent shortage of raw materials helps. “Our idea was to counter climate change with Viboo. Of course, the current situation in Europe makes our product even more interesting,” says Benjamin Huber. The incentive is also greater for potential customers. The higher the heating costs, the greater the savings that can be achieved with Viboo.

This is where the potential is highest

“Many buildings in Switzerland are old and poorly insulated. There is huge savings potential here,” says Huber. This is due to the generally higher heating requirements in older properties. In addition to the thermostats that plug directly into the radiator, the system only needs an internet connection.

Buildings with underfloor heating can also be equipped with the new system. In this case, thermostats are also installed in all rooms. Instead of controlling the radiators directly, the algorithm here controls the central heating based on the data provided by the thermostats.

How much you actually save depends on many factors. Not only insulation, but also the type of heating and, of course, the weather has an influence. “During the test runs on the Empa site, it averaged 20 to 40 percent,” Bünning calculates. A traditional smart thermostat saves about 10 percent.

Amortized after one year

For an average 3-room apartment, one-time installation costs from 300 to 500 francs. Add to that the software cost. This costs CHF 1 per month for each thermostat installed. The annual cost for four rooms is 48 francs.

With an average heating cost of CHF 1,500 per 100 square meters and savings of 25 percent, the installation investment was again saved after a little over a year. Depreciation is even faster with rising heating costs, and the climate will thank you like your wallet.

The only fly in the ointment: the system is not yet on the market. It’s going to be tight for this winter. From next year, the system will be suitable for the masses and Swiss people will be able to equip their homes and apartments with the system.