Sara Eicher

Dr. Sara Eicher is a Researcher at the School of Engineering and Management of the Canton of Vaud (HEIG-VD), focusing on Solar Thermal, Renewable Energies, and Thermal Engineering. She leads applied research projects in energy efficiency and decarbonization of industrial processes, while also teaching courses at Bachelor's, Master's, and Continuing Education levels. Her work bridges Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Heat Transfer, and Energy Modeling to advance practical solutions in the energy transition.

Education:

• MSc HES-SO in Engineering
• BSc HES-SO in Energy and Environmental Techniques

Her research emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to renewable thermal energy systems, including vacuum insulated storage, drainback solar systems, and multifunctional facade integration. She employs numerical modeling (e.g., Polysun, Gain Buddy) and experimental validation to optimize system performance under diverse climatic conditions, with applications in industrial bitumen storage, pharmaceutical sector process heat, and building energy retrofits. Her work also addresses market barriers for emerging solar technologies and promotes their adoption through training and demonstration.

Dr. Eicher's projects have attracted funding from organizations such as OFEN, BFE, and the Canton of Vaud. She collaborates with institutions like CERN, SUPSI, and ZHAW, and contributes to Swissolar Solar Thermal Commission initiatives.