SBB has set itself the target of reducing energy consumption by 10 percent every year until 2015 in comparison to the forecast figure. This amounts to approximately 230GWh per year.

Reduction due to energy-saving programme by 2015.

In 2011, SBB increased the impact of its energy saving initiative to 145 GWh, which is equivalent to the energy consumption of more than 36,000 households. SBB wants to expand its energy saving initiative and raise its targets in the medium term.

Concrete energy-saving measures are being implemented individually for the three core areas of buildings, rolling stock and operations:

Buildings and facilities.

SBB has agreed targets with the federal government for its 130 largest structures – stations, maintenance facilities and administrative buildings. Wherever economically viable, new buildings and renovation projects will be implemented in accordance with rigorous energy efficiency standards. A centralised recording system and active checks on costs and consumption will provide more accurate measurements of how successful the energy-saving measures have been.

Energy conservation campaigns keep employees in the entire company informed about ways of saving energy.

Rolling stock.

SBB plans to optimise the power consumption of its rolling stock through such measures as upgrading drive controls on traction units. In particular, considerable amounts of energy could be saved by making the heating and air conditioning systems of older passenger coaches operate more efficiently when they are temporarily out of use. SBB complies strictly with energy efficiency criteria when procuring and modernising rolling stock.

Operations.

SBB is looking to improve and optimise both operating procedures and its own operations across its network through a variety of measures, including, for example, driver training. The energy-efficient driving techniques being promoted entail immediate departures, brisk acceleration and the judicious use of electrical braking systems at high speed. Measures that involve teamwork between locomotive drivers and rail operations staff to produce smooth and efficient services have the highest energy-saving potential. Projects to improve punctuality and network capacity will allow for a smoother driving style and reduce the number of signal stops and hence also energy consumption.