Plus-energy administration building

Outstanding

At the valley station of the Mount Stanserhorn Railway, new office, storage, and maintenance facilities have been built in recent years. The new building, known as the “Remise,” blends harmoniously into the historical ensemble of the valley station thanks to its well-considered solar architecture. With its sophisticated and multi-layered energy concept, it has become the first plus-energy administration building in the canton of Nidwalden to receive double Minergie-A/-P certification.

At the heart of the energy system lies a ring trench collector, installed under the tracks at a depth of around two meters and extending over a length of approximately 40 meters. This system provides over 80% of the heating energy and allows for passive cooling during summer. It is complemented by highly efficient building technology that includes waste heat utilization and heat recovery.

The decision to use this ring trench collector, made around three years ago, required courage and conviction. While ring trench collectors are widely used in Austria, they remain largely unknown in Switzerland. Thanks to the extensive experience of the Austrian partner company and the proven functionality of the system, this innovative solution prevailed over other established energy generation technologies at the Mount Stanserhorn Railway.

But that’s not all. Photovoltaic systems with a total capacity of 47 kWp were installed on the roofs of both the new building and the historic platform. The PV installation on the platform roof was further enhanced with custom-made dummy modules to ensure optimal integration in terms of heritage preservation and aesthetics. An intelligent battery storage system increases on-site consumption, supplies the area with solar power after sunset, and also serves as an emergency power source.

The plus-energy site at the valley station produces around 30,000 kWh of solar power per year, while consuming only about 24,000 kWh. As a result, roughly 25% more energy is generated than consumed. This flagship project stands for climate-friendly tourism, regional value creation, and the consistent implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement.