Empa is an interdisciplinary research institute within the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology, providing sustainable solutions for issues of paramount importance for industry and society. Empa is supporting Solar Impulse by developing a tailor-made thermoregulating clothing system for the pilots and a specialized insulating seat/seat cushion combination which can adapt to the expected temperature extremes in the cockpit. Empa is also investigating the thermal and mechanical properties of various structural elements in carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP).