A building engineer, Tobia Wyss has put his technical skills at the service of sustainability. Steeped in environmental issues from a very young age, he gets involved in energy transition projects, with the firm intention of helping to bring about a new vision of buildings and transport.
Tobia was born in Ticino, into a German-speaking Swiss family of Christian culture. While the family does not describe itself as “green”, restraint and health are deeply ingrained in everyday life, for example through organic food or limited purchases.
He hesitated between ETH Zurich and EPFL, and finally opted for a Bachelor's in Microengineering in Lausanne, trusting his instinct. He went on to the Master's in Energy Management and Sustainability.
“It allowed me to combine my knowledge of microengineering with my desire to work in the field of energy, which has always fascinated me.”
“After spending years soaking things up like a sponge, I needed to be outside every day.”
At the end of his Master's, he decided to take a break and set off alone with his bike across the world, later joined by his partner. The couple went all the way to India.
This carefree time did him a great deal of good, both physically and psychologically, and his view of the world was changed by it: “When you don't know where you're sleeping or what you'll eat in the evening, you quickly forget about geopolitical questions. You live simply, to the rhythm of the sun, with very little.”
After a year, Covid-19 forced them to come back and settle in Switzerland. Tobia then found a job at Impact Living, a building renovation company, where he helps integrate energy efficiency and energy restraint into property projects.
He very quickly developed a passion for this work and still thrives in it today. It is a sector going through a pivotal moment: there is a surge in renovation and in alternative, innovative construction methods.
Today, the market no longer asks why to build and renovate in a sustainable and ecological way, but how to do so concretely and quickly.
He also observes that manual trades, such as those of the tinsmith or the electrician, struggle to find new recruits. “Switzerland has to work out how to make these trades attractive, because they are the ones that put the energy transition into practice.”
Since 2022, Tobia has been taking part, with people close to him, including EPFL alumni, in the creation of Soleva, a project that consists of converting an old van into a 100% electric vehicle powered by solar energy produced on board.
The collective devoted a year to studying the technical feasibility of the project, before building it with their own hands: “As we move forward on this project, it's no longer just a van that we're building; it's a means of communicating and raising awareness about mobility issues, but above all it's a demonstration of the pleasure of taking action, rising to a challenge and pursuing a dream together.”
The tour of Switzerland by van in 2024 made it possible to demonstrate that such a means of mobility is realistic.
“The greatest success was perhaps the goodwill people felt towards this project: when they saw it, they smiled, without even knowing why. It was received in a positive and joyful way.”
Here is a fine way of combining technical skills with the transformation of society.