Olympic dreams, Swiss-US energy innovation and life as a nomad

Keystone

Here are the top stories we’re following the week of August 17:

Keystone

Monday

The city of Lausanne External linkhas just been chosen to host the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics. swissinfo.ch looks at whether winning these smaller Games could act as a trampoline for Switzerland to again bid for the traditional Winter Games in 2026.

Keystone

Tuesday

The Swiss, with their strong apprenticeship tradition, took a haul of medals at the latest World Skills championships in BrazilExternal link. coming fourth overall. This competition, which takes place every two years, is the “biggest vocational education and skills excellence” event in the world. 

Keystone

Wednesday

Follow us on Wednesday and Thursday, when we will be live-blogging Swiss-US Energy Innovation Days 2015. This is not your average conference: 300 of the world’s top energy experts, architects and entrepreneurs will discuss (and even walk around) some of the latest research and innovation on energy-efficient buildings and sustainable infrastructure.

Keystone

Thursday

Biel’s Tissot ArenaExternal link, a multi-purpose sports and conference facility, holds the world record for a stadium producing the most solar power – enough for 500 homes for a year – from the panels on its roof.  Sports stadiums across the country are slowly being equipped with solar technology. But Switzerland is still a long way off hitting its target of 20% energy coming from the sun.

Keystone

Friday

Did you know almost one in three Swiss people divide their time between two residences? And nine per cent have four or more addresses. We examine new research by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ), which opens the lid on the nomadic lives of the Swiss.

What you may have missed last week: