Sustainable Innovation Lab Mentors Lead Award-Winning Capstone Project
The Sustainable Innovation Lab celebrates the success of Dr. Maximilian Palmié and Philip Rodak, whose mentored student team secured a prestigious HSG Capstone Award for their impactful work on energy efficiency in the Swiss building sector.
The University of St.Gallen (HSG) has announced the winners of the Autumn 2025 Capstone Awards, recognizing outstanding student consultancy projects that bridge academic rigor with practical application. Among the top honors, the project focused on the Swiss energy sector received distinction for its societal and sustainable relevance.
The winning project, conducted for the practice partner swissesco, analyzed the optimization of energy-saving contracting within Swiss building infrastructure. The student team—comprising Max Leopold Repenning, Nicole Vanessa Beer, Lennart von Zitzewitz, and Jonas Boetel—was mentored by Dr. Maximilian Palmié and Philip Rodak from the Sustainable Innovation Lab.
The Capstone Award is the final element of the Bachelor in Business Administration, requiring students to solve complex, real-world challenges. This year’s jury, including faculty and alumni representatives, highlighted projects that delivered measurable value. The success of the swissesco group underscores the Sustainable Innovation Lab’s commitment to guiding students toward high-impact solutions in sustainability and energy transition.
The awards ceremony took place on December 19, 2025, supported by HSG Alumni.
