Swisstopo Folio 2018
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swisstopo 2018 Folio Focus on skills and diversity where knowing swisstopo Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft Confédération suisse Confederazione Svizzera Confederaziun svizra Federal Office of Topography swisstopo www.swisstopo.ch Dübendorf, coordinates 2 690 969, 1 251 203, 436 metres above sea level swisstopo Folio 2018 Contents Foreword by Fridolin Wicki, Director of the Federal Office of Topography swisstopo 3 Commitment to the country and the people 400 employees with specialised skills perform a broad variety of services for a digitised society 4 Documenting what has happened “Rapid Mapping” supports responses to natural disasters, for example following the rock avalanche in Bondo 10 Keeping an eye on glaciers Geodata recorded during glacier flyovers form the basis for the “Glacier Monitoring Switzerland” programme 14 Finding out which side the sun shines on 3D data produced by swissBUILDINGS3D 2.0 support the calculation of the solar potentials of roofs and façades 15 Knowledge from beneath the ground For the first time, a comprehensive geological 3D model (“GeoMol”) depicts the conditions beneath the country’s surface 16 Always spot on! The swipos positioning service supports specialists in the areas of construction, surveying, agriculture and forestry, preparation of ski slopes, etc. 18 Outlook A digitised society constantly gives rise to new spatial requirements 22 Organisational chart 24 2017 facts and figures 25 1 swisstopo Folio 2018 “The federal government asks itself what is of importance for the development of the country and for the economy and the population. As a geoinformation centre, we bring together know-how relating to geodata and the spatial dimension, at a central location and for the benefit of everyone.” 2 swisstopo Folio 2018 Dear Reader, “In a society in transition, the focus is almost always on the spatial dimension.” What do you think of when you hear the name “swisstopo”? swisstopo’s approximately 400 employees provide a broad Maps? If so, you are in good company. swisstopo is variety of services for private citizens and units within the perceived by a large part of the population, as well as by federal administration. We have pleasure in describing some politicians and within the federal administration, as a of these in this edition of Folio, which I hope you will find map producer. We’re the people who make maps. And as interesting and informative! most people know, we now produce maps digitally – but they are still maps. The only difference is that you can view Fridolin Wicki, them on a mobile phone or tablet instead of on paper. Director of the Federal Office of Topography swisstopo In this edition of Folio we want to show you that swisstopo is in fact much more than a producer of geodata and map material. The latter activities are only part of the equation. We are specialists for everything with a spatial context. And in a society in transition, the focus is almost always on the spatial dimension. 3 “If we have a problem, someone always finds a solution.” Roberto Artuso, geomatics engineer and joint head of height model process 4 Employees of swisstopo in Wabern, coordinates 2 600 999, 1 197 465, 553 metres above sea level 465, 553 metres 197 1 999, 600 2 coordinates Employees of swisstopo in Wabern, 5 swisstopo Folio 2018 Commitment to the country and the people swisstopo provides a broad variety of services to private citizens, the cantons and the federal administration, all of whom benefit from the experience, wide-ranging contacts and collective know-how of its approximately 400 employees. Strong partner. The Federal Office of Diversity and networking. swisstopo’s work- Interdisciplinary skills. Swisstopo’s approxi- Topography swisstopo supports the population, force comprises specialists from a variety of fields, mately 400 employees exchange know-how and the economy, the cantons and the federal including surveying, geology, geography, IT, opinions, think “out of the box” and make good administration through its comprehensive know- administration. As of the end of 2017 there were use of their personal experiences. Both sides how, advanced technology and 180 years of 391 employees from 13 countries, plus several (client as well as provider) benefit from this form experience in surveying. All its partners benefit interns and 27 apprentices. Despite a low fluctua- of collective intelligence. Thanks to inter- from this, for example in connection with tion rate, swisstopo’s size inevitably means disciplinary skills it is possible to solve difficult surveying issues, data management or the changes of personnel in the course of a year. Its problems and adopt an innovative approach – visualisation of spatial problems. Other federal employees often hold key positions where various because knowledge grows when it is shared. authorities are able to use these services at threads come together. Many join swisstopo from reasonable cost: swisstopo operates economic- the private sector and maintain their contacts ally, but is not profit-oriented. Tasks carried with former colleagues in the industry, as well as out on behalf of other federal authorities can be at home and abroad. offset through internal cost allocation. 6 Air services. swisstopo also provides air services The flight season lasts from March until the end through its three employees and two aircraft of October, with 40 to 50 flight days each season. stationed at Dübendorf military airfield in the The swisstopo personnel only spend around canton of Zurich. These services are required for ten percent of their time in the air. Most of their collecting data from the air for the national work is carried out on the ground: flight plan- survey, and for other special purpose flights. ning, incorporating all stakeholders including the swisstopo carries out the latter solely on the basis Federal Directorate of Cadastral Surveying, the of mandates from other entities such as the topography and cartography sections, as well Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) or the as systems operation and the training of pilots Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich. These and flight controllers. After each flight, the services may take the form of glacier observations recorded data have to be processed: this involves or emergency flights following a natural disaster. downloading the data, calculating the flight paths, processing the images and deciding which terrain needs to be flown over again in order to obtain better quality images. 7 Specialists for the spatial dimension. Surveying the entire country. swisstopo’s Fostering Switzerland’s development. The swisstopo has accumulated an enormous amount official mandate is to survey the entire country. duties of a government are different from those of knowledge relating to geodata and the spatial The quality of its surveys has to be uniformly of a private company. A government has to dimension. Today, almost everyone can obtain high and must include regions that are structural- consider what is important for the development data from swisstopo, for example via their mobile ly less developed and have a low population of the country, as well as for the economy and phone. These devices constantly localise them- density, as well as the conurbations and major the population. swisstopo is active throughout selves and the data are combined with the spatial business centres. This can only be accomplished the entire country and is able to promote dimension. So which conclusions do we draw because swisstopo’s mandates do not pursue any and support developments from which everyone from this? How can we develop services that primary commercial interests. can benefit. meet the needs of the administration and the population? swisstopo channels, communicates and visualises knowledge – because in a changing society, spatial knowledge is becoming increas- ingly important. 8 Did you know? • swisstopo provides the Swiss armed forces with satellite • swisstopo acts as supervisory authority for smaller cantons images, data for flight simulators, special maps for military that do not have their own surveying authority. applications, etc. • With its “Rapid Mapping” service, swisstopo assists involved • swisstopo manages the geographic information system for units and authorities with the prevention of, and response armasuisse (the federal agency for the procurement of to, natural disasters. armaments), which contains detailed information about its • swisstopo supports the cantons and organisations such as land ownership. Nagra (National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive • swisstopo operates the federal geodata infrastructure and Waste) by providing geological expertise. federal geodata portal (geo.admin.ch). • swisstopo’s surveying know-how is used in a broad variety of areas, for example for projects such as AlpTransit (on behalf of Swiss Federal Railways) or the inspection of dam walls (on behalf of energy service providers). 9 “The fruitful cooperation with swisstopo has greatly helped us in our response to natural disasters.” Roderick Kühne, Head of the LNB project of the Office for Forestry and Natural Hazards, canton of Grisons 10 Bondo, coordinates 2 762 840, 1 134 049, 815 metres above sea level metres 049, 815 134 840, 1 762 2 Bondo, coordinates 11 swisstopo Folio 2018 Documenting what has happened In the event of the occurrence of a major natural disaster, swisstopo carries out special flights on the basis of mandates and records aerial images of the current situation. swisstopo’s “Rapid Mapping” service ensures the fast and efficient provision of geodata to all involved players and thus supports disaster response. “Rapid Mapping” competence centre. Aways on call. swisstopo operates a “Rapid swisstopo is the federal government’s official Mapping” standby service and can be reached by provider of geodata. In the event of a major its client, the Federal Office for the Environment, natural disaster, it is responsible for providing the at any time. After all, natural disasters can occur federal government’s natural disaster response without warning and at any time of day or night. unit with geodata.