Vizcab: Construction planners receive method for life cycle assessment

Vizcab, a spin-off of the Fribourg site of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL Fribourg), could, according to a Media release raised venture capital of 1.6 million euros. The start-up, based in Lyon, France, has developed a new method that enables engineers to assess the energy efficiency of a building as early as the design phase. With this capital injection, Vizcab initially wants to gain a foothold in France. In 18 to 24 months, the young company plans to raise a Series B financing round to expand.

"Our start-up works at the intersection of the digital and the ecological turnaround," explains founder and innovation chief Thomas Jusselme. His data-based model can integrate greenhouse gas emission targets into the early stages of the design process. Until now, calculating the environmental effects of a building was only possible after design decisions had been set in stone.

Architects and engineers can enter various design options into an Internet application developed by Vizcab. It runs thousands of simulations based on various design parameters such as heating, glazing and insulation.

This method was developed by Building 2050 developed, a team that is active in the Smart Living Lab located at EPFL Fribourg. The first prototype was developed in collaboration with two EPFL laboratories, the Laboratory for Integrated Performance in Design (LIPID) and the Laboratory for Architecture and Sustainable Technologies (LAST), developed. Furthermore, the laboratory EPFL+ECAL and the Human IST Institute of the University of Freiburg (UNIFR) involved.

"It's always gratifying to hear that a spinoff that develops a technology under license from the EPFL operates, has secured funding," said Frédéric Pont, one of the university's technology transfer managers. "And it's particularly welcome news in the midst of a global pandemic and economic uncertainty.