Construction of the Swiss Alpine Club's (SAC) new Monte Rosa Hut on the Gorner Glacier near Zermatt in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, pictured on August 20, 2009. In the background, the Matterhorn.(Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella)
Keystone
Students of the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich carrying out survey work on the Monte Rosa in 2004. (ETH Zürich)
ETH Zürich
The west elevation of the hut. (ETH Zürich)
ETH Zürich
Experts discuss the project at the Federal Institute of Technology. (ETH Zürich)
ETH Zürich
Celebrating with a drink on the building site of the new Monte Rosa hut at 2,883 metres above sea level on the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone, August 16, 2008. (Anne Gabriel-Jürgens/ETH Zurich)
Anne Gabriel-Jürgens/ETH Zürich
By opening up the internal staircase, the designers afford guests spectacular views. (ETH Zürich)
ETH Zürich
The eating area has been divided into small intimate dining rooms with wonderful panoramic views. (ETH Zurich)
ETH Zürich
Electricians work on the electric installations in the new hut on August 21, 2009. (Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella)
Keystone
A construction worker installs solar panels on the roof on August 21, 2009. (Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella)
Keystone
Two wardens in the old Monte Rosa Hut cook for the guests and the construction workers of the new hut near Zermatt on August 21, 2009. (Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella)
Keystone
Wooden beams in the new hut pictured on August 21, 2009. (Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella)
Keystone
Construction work on August 21, 2009. (Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella)
Keystone
The gleaming finished product. (ETH Zurich)
ETH Zürich
Swiss inaugurate state-of-the art eco-hut
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The new hi-tech environmentally friendly Monte Rosa mountain refuge above Zermatt was officially inaugurated on September 25.
Launched in 2003 as a project for the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) to mark the 150th anniversary of Zurich’s Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), the hut is designed to replace the nearby Monte Rosa mountain hut, built in 1895, which was in need of refurbishment.
The building is a laboratory of new environmental and energy systems and is designed to obtain 90 per cent of its power needs from the sun.
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