2000-Watt Society
Building a Clear Vision of Energy and Climate Policy
The brainchild of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich in the early 1990s, the 2000-Watt Society has set a “visionary goal in terms of energy and climate policy.” The aim of the concept is to reduce per capita energy consumption in the West from 6000 watts to about 2000 watts to meet the two major challenges of our century: both resource scarcity and climate change.
The 2000-Watt Society then makes it possible to transpose international and national targets to the level of regions, cities, and municipalities.
Adopted by SuisseEnergie, an agency under the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, the goal of the 2000-Watt Society has informed multiple programs at the regional, municipal, and city level. Resources include indicators, guides, examples, solutions, and even surveys on various subjects such as energy supply, mobility, or the Smart City concept.
One part is dedicated to the 2000-Watt Site, “at the forefront of energy efficiency, renewable energies, and climate friendliness, but also sustainable mobility, attractive living environments, and building quality.”