News and Events

A Global Stage for Geomechanics Research in 2026

Published:25.02.26 — Prof. Lyesse Laloui has begun his year-long InterPore Kimberly-Clark Distinguished Lecture Tour, bringing pioneering research in geomechanics to thirteen cities across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

EPFL research highlights bio-cementation for soil stability

Published:19.01.26 — Published in Les Cahiers – EspaceSuisse (3/2025), the article “Toward more sustainable geotechnics” highlights research from EPFL’s Laboratory of Soil Mechanics (LMS) on bio-cementation as a sustainable alternative for soil stabilisation.

LMS and PSI Join Forces to Advance Nuclear Waste Repository Research

Published:29.09.25 — Two leading Swiss institutions align their strengths to tackle one of the country's most critical environmental challenges.

Enerdrape's Underground Innovation Featured in Bloomberg

Published:20.08.25 — LMS spin-off brings no-drill geothermal energy from Lausanne to New York, showing how underground spaces can power the cities of tomorrow.

The multitasking microbe that turns naturally CO₂ into minerals

Published:08.07.25 — At more than 470 times the atmospheric concentration of CO₂, a humble soil bacterium does something extraordinary: it turns gas into stone.

Rethinking Renewables: Enerdrape's Underground Energy Revolution

Published:04.07.25 — Solar and wind may lead the renewable conversation, but Enerdrape is quietly transforming the game underground. We dive into this innovation with CEO Margaux Peltier and Professor Lyesse Laloui to explore how their geothermal tech is reshaping urban energy: no sunlight, no drilling, just smart science.

Lyesse Laloui named Kimberly-Clark Distinguished Lecturer 2026

Published:19.06.25 — Civil engineering professor Lyesse Laloui has been named the 2026 Kimberly-Clark Distinguished Lecturer by the International Society for Porous Media (InterPore) in recognition of his pioneering work on porous media and sustainable geo-energy systems.

EPFL engineers explore new applications for geothermal energy

Published:28.05.25 — EPFL engineers have examined the use of geothermal energy in two very different applications: a metro station and an underground data center. The works had a focus on the internal airflow conditions of these structures and possible optimization of the mechanical ventilation. Each case presents its own set of challenges.

Prof. Lyesse Laloui Awarded 2026 Kimberly-Clark Distinguished Lecture

Published:14.04.25 — Professor Lyesse Laloui, is Interpore's Distinguished Lecturer for 2026

Prof. Lyesse Laloui Featured in Ground Engineering Magazine

Published:17.03.25 — "The synergy between rigorous scientific research and real-world applications is not only challenging but immensely rewarding."