immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Author: immovestuser

  • Controversial quarries slow down cement production

    Controversial quarries slow down cement production

    Around 5 million tons of cement are used annually in construction and infrastructure projects in Switzerland. In 2019, 86 percent of demand was met by Swiss cement plants. The raw materials lime and marl, which are used in the cement industry, are available in Switzerland.

    However, a report that the Federal Council has taken note of assumes that cement production in Switzerland is likely to decline in the coming years. The reason for this is resistance to the expansion or reopening of quarries. If the requested mining expansion projects for the raw materials lime and marl set out in the cantonal structure plans are not approved, Switzerland's supply of domestic cement will fall to 64 percent by 2024, according to the report.

    The report therefore proposes that raw material deposits that are important for the production of cement should also be considered from a national supply point of view. Currently, the authority for the approval of dismantling projects lies with the municipalities and cantons. The aim is to create a national overview of the raw material deposits and to evaluate it from a “raw material geological point of view”. This would give authorities and raw material producers a basis when planning mining projects.

    In its communication, the Federal Council also emphasizes that the Federal Office for the Environment ( FOEN ) is currently working with research and industry to find new solutions to replace the primary raw materials lime and marl with secondary raw materials. So far, however, this has only been possible to a very limited extent. However, technologies are also in the development phase that will replace cement in concrete or even lead to cement-free concrete.

  • Innovation Park Zurich has billions of potential

    Innovation Park Zurich has billions of potential

    The Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich foundation commissioned the economic research institute BAK Economics to carry out a scientific study on the economic significance of the Zurich Innovation Park (IPZ ). The study comes to the conclusion that the direct and indirect added value of the IPS could add up to around 2.7 billion francs per year if fully expanded. With a share of 90 percent of the total value added, the canton of Zurich would benefit particularly strongly.

    The extensive study is divided into seven sections, ranging from the motivation for the analysis, the importance of innovation for the economy and society, the position of the Canton of Zurich in the innovation competition, to a detailed evaluation of the role that the Innovation Park Zurich plays in promoting growth and Prosperity could play rich. The study confirms that the canton of Zurich is underrepresented in industry, particularly in the high-tech sectors. According to the study authors, the IPZ could make a decisive contribution to upgrading the canton as an innovation location.

    According to the authors, the IPZ could form the “risk area” necessary for transformation innovations in addition to the corresponding risk capital. The park should position itself as a "link between universities, research institutes, the start-up scene and research-based industry", according to the study. Structures created there could enable “global players” to settle in innovative areas such as “mobility, space travel, aviation, robotics, greentech or new materials”.

    The Zurich Chamber of Commerce ( ZHK ) sees the results of the study as confirmation of their longstanding support for the innovation park. They show how important this is for the business and research location, she writes in a statement on the study. The ZHK hopes that the added value of the innovation park will lead to an acceleration of the ongoing procedures.

  • Builders' Association examines Switzerland of the future

    Builders' Association examines Switzerland of the future

    Last year, the Swiss Master Builders Association ( SBV ) carried out a representative survey on the expectations of the Swiss up to 2040. According to the results, the majority of the country’s residents are in favor of densifying urban space, the SBV informed in a statement on the survey. At the same time, the need for more spacious and sustainable living space is registered.

    For the SBV, the construction industry can make a decisive contribution to the implementation of these ideas. Already today, every dismantled apartment is being replaced by two new ones with a total of three times the building area, writes the association. At the same time, however, the SBV is calling for regulatory obstacles to be removed when renovating the building stock. Specifically, the communication mentions the simplification of building permit processes and the acceleration of complaint procedures. The SBV also sees a need for action in noise protection and homeland security.

    The SBV supports the CO2 Act with its building program. When it is implemented, new replacement buildings should be promoted more intensively, as these represent the most efficient solution in terms of energy technology, writes the association. For peripheral regions and mountain areas, the SBV proposes creating framework conditions, technology and transport infrastructure that can attract working residents or keep them in the region.

  • Swiss residential property will become 2.5 percent more expensive in 2020

    Swiss residential property will become 2.5 percent more expensive in 2020

    According to a press release from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the average annual tax rate for home ownership in Switzerland in 2020 is 2.5 percent. This value results from the comparison of the average annual inflation rates of 2019 with 2020. In relation to the last quarter of 2020 the inflation rate was lower. Compared to the third quarter, the residential property price index (IMPI) increased by 2.3 percent. It reached a level of 103.1 points. Compared to the same quarter in the previous year, the rate of inflation was 3.1 percent, reports the FSO.

    To explain the calculation of the annual mean inflation, the FSO states that the average annual inflation 2020 of the IMPI of 2.5 percent would correspond to the rate of change between the annual mean 2020 and the annual mean 2019. These annual averages are calculated as the arithmetic mean of the four quarterly indices for the calendar year.

    The announcement shows an increased interest in houses compared to apartments: the prices of single-family houses have risen by an average of 2.8 percent over the whole of last year and the prices of condominiums by an average of 2.2 percent.

    In the fourth quarter of 2020, however, there was greater demand for apartments than for houses, which was reflected in the price. The price for single-family houses rose by 1.5 percent, but for condominiums by 3.1 percent. Both market segments show higher prices in all of the five types of municipality than in the previous quarter. The rise in single-family house prices was particularly pronounced in the medium-sized communities with a plus of 2.4 percent. In contrast, prices for condominiums rose the most in rural communities: by 5.2 percent.

    The differentiation between types of municipality by the FSO is based on density, size and accessibility criteria, such as commuter movements. Of the 2,172 municipalities in Switzerland as of January 1, 2021, 22 percent are urban, 52 percent rural and 26 percent intermediate.

  • Zürcher Weinland supports first project

    Zürcher Weinland supports first project

    ProWeinland has, according to a media release with AgroCO2ncept selected the first project, with funds from the New Regional Policy ( NRP is supported). AgroCO2ncept is an association of farmers founded in 2012. They had set themselves the goal of reducing their operations' greenhouse gas emissions and spending by 20 percent. This resource project will run until 2022.

    The second goal is now being tackled: the added value is to be increased by 20 percent through the transfer of knowledge and the sale of climate-friendly regional products. To this end, the association has initiated a marketing project that can now be funded. In addition, the association members want to pass on their knowledge to other producers inside and outside the Zurich wine region and thus promote climate-friendly agriculture.

    The Zurich Weinland region has been part of the New Regional Policy of the Canton of Zurich since 2020. The ProWeinland association was entrusted by the canton as the regional project sponsor of the program. Pro Weinland is “very pleased to be able to support and accompany such a promising project in the initial phase of the funding program”.

  • Schweizer Technologie looks after German tenant electricity systems

    Schweizer Technologie looks after German tenant electricity systems

    With tenant electricity systems, homeowners could supply their tenants with cheap electricity from renewable energy sources and, in return, amortize their systems faster, writes Smart-red GmbH ( smartRED ) in a press release . The requirements for billing tenant electricity specified in the German Energy Industry Act, however, discouraged many German homeowners from setting up tenant electricity systems. The joint venture between Zug-based smart-me AG and the German company ABM-Mess Service has provided a remedy here.

    With the cloud-based tenant electricity solution from SmartRED "effortlessly automated invoices" could be created, writes the company in the press release. For this, the tenant electricity systems are connected to the cloud via a WiFi interface or cellular network. The intelligent meters then provide you with real-time data for the control and optimization of the system and the creation of the billing.

    “One of the most important points in tenant electricity projects is billing in accordance with the law,” Bernd Bosch, managing director of Smart-Red GmbH, is quoted in the message. "It is also important to reduce the administrative effort as much as possible." The digital billing tool from SmartRED should enable both.

  • Homes are still in demand

    Homes are still in demand

    The home market continues to grow even during the recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In the four most liquid market regions in Switzerland, prices rose by an average of 3.7 percent in 2020 to an average of 1.3 million francs, explains homegate.ch in a statement on the current Home Market Price Analysis. It is created annually by the digital real estate marketplace from TX Group in cooperation with the Swiss Real Estate Institute of the Zurich School of Economics ( HWZ ).

    The study analyzes the development of purchase prices and transactions for single-family houses and condominiums in the regions of Zurich, northwestern Switzerland, Bern and Lake Geneva. The prices for single-family homes rose in all four market regions last year, the press release explains. The most significant price increase was observed in the Lake Geneva region, at 4.1 percent. The lowest price increases of 1.6 percent were in the Zurich region. The number of transactions in the single-family home market increased by 3.1 percent year-on-year.

    For condominiums, the analysts identified price increases of between 3 and 4 percent in three of the four regions examined. In the Lake Geneva region, on the other hand, prices fell by 2 percent year-on-year. On average, the prices for condominiums rose by 0.5 percent to 850,000 francs in the year under review. The number of transactions in the condominium market increased by 2 percent in 2020.

    In times of crisis, the flight into real assets is nothing new, Peter Ilg is quoted in the communication. The “ongoing boom” during the pandemic-induced recession is “astonishing” for him, says the head of the Swiss Real Estate Institute. As a background to the current developments, Ilg cites, on the one hand, the likely long-term low interest rates. On the other hand, "living in the times of Corona has become more important".

  • Quality-tested PropTech solutions and motivated talents

    Quality-tested PropTech solutions and motivated talents

    Facchinetti is targeting the DACH region (Switzerland, Austria and Germany) with his new idea: "Our aim is to support small and medium-sized companies in innovation management," explains Facchinetti.

    This decision is based on the finding that in companies with a manageable team size, day-to-day business does not leave the necessary resources to obtain the necessary information about the fast-moving innovation landscape and to make well-founded decisions. On the one hand, a selection of quality-tested innovations is intended to simplify the selection of value-adding solutions in the innovation jungle that has become opaque. On the other hand, PropTechMarket is building a qualitative talent pool with motivated and innovation-minded specialists who want to contribute their skills in the real estate and construction industry.

    «Above all, we want to buy our customers time. Time so that specialists can use their skills again where they contribute to the successful future of the company. We believe in the conscious interaction between people and technology, ”says Facchinetti. "With the right coordination, the possibilities for efficiency increases, new customer experiences and sustainability-promoting measures are enormous, especially for smaller companies." PropTechMarket's offerings are currently focused on the areas of object visualization and facility management. In a next step, further business areas of the real estate cycle are to be added.

  • Zühlke supports Adtrac with targeted outdoor advertising

    Zühlke supports Adtrac with targeted outdoor advertising

    Zühlke supports the Zurich start-up Adtrac . The aim of the cooperation is the development of a platform for the targeted control, changing content and tracking of digital outdoor advertising until it is ready for the market. According to a press release, the innovation service provider from Schlieren has been at Adtrac's side right from the start with advice and support for further development. This should make the platform ready for the market in a few months.

    According to the media release, the idea of Adtrac is to transfer the advantages of the digital world into the classic principle of outdoor advertising. The sensors of the advertising displays should be used to play the most relevant content for the target group in front of the displays. This means that the offer on the advertising space can be adapted precisely for these viewers and their interests based on data about the respective target group. And the customer can follow the progress of his campaign online. According to Adtrac, the web-based campaign tool is used for this. Advertisers can use it to plan their campaigns themselves at any time, follow them live, optimize them and create evaluations.

    "Thanks to Zühlke's expertise and the flexible and agile cooperation, we are now there with a market-ready and convincing product," Benjamin Wey, CEO of Adtrac, is quoted as saying. Adtrac was created as a joint venture between Advertima , Fortimo and SPAR , all based in St.Gallen.

    After the initial launch on the market, the platform is to be continuously developed and supplemented with new functions.

  • 3 needs-based facility management solutions

    3 needs-based facility management solutions

    Soobr on artificial intelligence. The existing performance and building data are read into the software, whereupon the tour planning takes care of the planning of the daily tours based on factors such as room distances, room priority, number and duration of cleaning. The occupancy of the individual rooms can also be integrated into the operational planning via room sensors, so that cleaning can be carried out specifically where it is really necessary. The cleaning staff performing the work are guided through the respective tours by means of an app on mobile devices, whereby you can feed the AI with feedback and documentation. Dynamic route planning increases efficiency, saves time and money in route planning and increases transparency for data evaluation.

    Thingdust also relies on sensor-based data for its Smart Office product. With this simple plug & play solution, companies can measure the definitive utilization of their office space and analyze what will be a great need after returning from the home office. The anonymous data collected by sensors at the workplace is transmitted via an independent LoRa network and is displayed on the dashboard for analysis and statistics. At the same time, the flow of people is directed by means of a real-time display on a monitor placed at the entrance and the distribution of people in the building is optimized. In addition, reservations can be made quickly and easily using QR codes in order to increase the occupancy of meeting rooms, for example.

    The Service on Demand devices, which facility management only call for use when required, also ensure that personnel are deployed as required. Planned tours to filled water dispensers and empty file containers, intact coffee machines or functioning printers are a thing of the past. The service-on-demand devices can be installed in any number of locations and devices in order to report faults, events or services quickly and easily. Instead of these points being constantly checked, the building users report that there is a need for a service at the push of a button.

    You can find more about digital helpers in the real estate and construction industry at: https://proptechmarket.net/

  • Tilbago simplifies handling of credit reports

    Tilbago simplifies handling of credit reports

    The Lucerne start-up Tilbago specializes in digital debt collection solutions. Now, according to a media release, it has launched a new product called Tilbago CredRep. This is a holistic, digital solution for obtaining credit information. According to Oliver Wolf, Chief Operating Officer at Tilbago, it is a "service that customers wanted and that we have implemented with modern technical possibilities".

    Tilbago CredRep is aimed at operators of real estate portals, loan portals or providers of software solutions. Tilbago CredRep can implement these in their existing platforms and make them available to their customers. Customers can then order extracts from the debt enforcement register completely digitally.

    Another advantage of Tilbago CredRep is that the so-called CreditTrust certificate is also integrated into the solution. In contrast to the excerpt from the debt enforcement register, the CreditTrust certificate is not limited to the register of a single office, but rather contains "all information available throughout Switzerland", it says.

    Tilbago developed the new solution together with the PFLab, PostFinance's innovation laboratory. PostFinance is also one of Tilbago's investors. "As an innovation participation of PostFinance, the PFLab supports tilbago in the market development of existing products and services and in the development of new offers," explains Sergio Consonni from the PFLab.

    Thanks to the connection to PostFinance, Tilbago has already won its first customer. Private individuals can now order their digital debt collection register excerpts on the Swiss Post website.

  • Made in Zurich breaks the lance for urban production

    Made in Zurich breaks the lance for urban production

    Made in Zurich wants to unite “urban productivists” of all kinds, explains the initiative founded in 2018 in its self-portrayal . Even when it was founded, the Made in Zurich initiative set out to investigate questions about production in the city, writes the initiative in a recent press release . For this purpose, Made in Zurich created the study “ Locations for urban production and retail – SUPR ”.

    The study examines historical developments and current trends and uses them to develop proposals for urban production. In addition, the analysts sound out the framework conditions for urban production in Zurich. Among other things, they investigate the question of what urban producers need and which urban areas are suitable for urban production.

    The guidelines are intended to provide “instructions for action and food for thought”, writes the Made in Zurich initiative in the communication. The addressees named there are “the public sector, developers and, last but not least, the producers themselves”.

    In the fifth chapter of the study, the authors deal with particularly important aspects of urban production. The entire final chapter of the study is devoted to recommendations for action for the implementation of locations for urban production and retail.

  • Old cotton mill in Turgi becomes an office complex

    Old cotton mill in Turgi becomes an office complex

    The old cotton mill in Turgi is to be converted into a complex with offices and commercial space. That was decided by Limmatkraftwerke AG, which operates its hydropower plant next to the large building. The subsidiary of Regionalwerke AG Baden acquired the building in mid-2020. According to an announcement on LinkedIn, offices, studios and commercial space will be rented on April 1 or by agreement on an area of 7,000 square meters. André Roth AG in Baden is responsible for marketing the space.

    The former cotton mill in Turgi was built as a factory between 1826 and 1879. Between 400 and 600 people worked in the Bebié brothers' cotton spinning mill, according to an article in the “Aargauer Zeitung” about the purchase of the elongated gable roof building in July 2020, which the cantonal heritage authorities call “the largest-scale building of its type in the canton of Aargau” Limmatkraftwerke AG operates the power plant in Turgi, which supplied the 190-year-old cotton spinning mill with electricity.

    Martin Schoop, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Limmatkraftwerke, was quoted at the time about the reasons for the purchase: “We operate one of our power plants right next to the spinning mill building. With the purchase of the spinning mill, we can ensure the operation of this power plant in the long term. ”With the acquisition of the spinning mill, future use can be controlled in such a way that expansion is possible.

  • 4B and Somfy are cooperating on intelligent home control

    4B and Somfy are cooperating on intelligent home control

    4B and Somfy have entered into a strategic partnership in the development of intelligent home controls, the two partner companies inform in a joint communication . With the Somfy TaHOme-Box, house and apartment owners should be able to create the conditions for the digitization of the building during construction or renovation, it says there. Joint products are launched under the Smart Home Ready by Somfy label.

    "Intelligent windows and facades are proof that we have been combining tradition, Swiss quality and innovation for over 100 years and that we are developing from a pure product to a solution provider", says Jean-Marc Devaud, CEO of Lucerne window manufacturer 4B , quoted in the communication. "With the Smart Home Ready cooperation, 4B can offer quality windows in combination with high-quality, radio-controlled privacy and sun protection as a smart, expandable package," explains Hannes Naef, Managing Director of Somfy Switzerland, in the press release.

    An intelligently controllable, motorized sliding door from 4B is to be brought onto the market this summer. The partners explain in the press release that the door can be integrated into intelligent building systems via both io radio and wired controls.

  • Sevensense co-founder praises Switzerland as a location for robotics

    Sevensense co-founder praises Switzerland as a location for robotics

    Roland Siegwart is Professor of Autonomous Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich ( ETH ). He is also co-director of the Wyss Zurich funding program. In 2018 Siegwart co-founded the ETH spin-off Sevensense Robotics. The company, based in Zurich, develops technologies for robots that help them, for example, with independent orientation. Sevensense also works with Deutsche Bahn to develop technologies for the future of train travel.

    In an interview published on the Sevensense blog page, Siegwart praised Switzerland as a location for robotics. All important specialist knowledge for robotics is available in the country. On the one hand, precision mechanics, which have a "long tradition in Switzerland", are particularly important. On the other hand, sensor technology plays an important role in the industry. This is less known worldwide, but Switzerland is already very advanced in this regard.

    Siegwart also praises the ETH Zurich and the ETH Lausanne (EPFL). The two universities would provide the necessary control and intelligence to be able to make good use of the existing specialist knowledge, he emphasizes. They would also spawn a multitude of successful spin-offs – especially in the robotics area. Switzerland has also been able to attract a large pool of foreign talent who further strengthen the robotics scene.

    Switzerland still has some catching up to do when it comes to major investments. Investors in Europe are generally more risk averse compared to those in the USA. However, this also helps European start-ups develop a sustainable, customer-oriented approach. Accordingly, the survival rate of start-ups – for example in Switzerland – is much higher than that of those in the USA. The long-term survival rate of the ETH spin-offs is 80 to 90 percent.

  • Dietikon relies on location advertising with comedian duo Lapsus

    Dietikon relies on location advertising with comedian duo Lapsus

    The city of Dietikon relies on humor in its location advertising. According to a media release, the well-known Dietiker comedian duo Lapsus has therefore received the order to subject their residential area to a critical examination and to record their impressions. It is said that funny, self-deprecating video productions were created.

    The videos can now be viewed on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. The first is entitled “Dietikon from its most beautiful side”. Dietikon is presented as a noisy and urban city with idyllic green areas as the train passes by. The second video introduces the open-air gallery “DietikON – experience light art”, which will run until the end of February, with humorous puns. Further topics are planned.

    The core of the campaign, which will last in May, is self-irony, according to the media release. The plan is to publish six to seven videos, which will make the qualities and location advantages of the city visible and promote the city's positioning as a center for business, culture, education, local recreation, sport and leisure.

    It is emphasized that the topics have been discussed with the city. The comedians are free to implement it.

  • LafargeHolcim finds partners for CO2 capture

    LafargeHolcim finds partners for CO2 capture

    The building materials group LafargeHolcim and the Texan Schlumberger New Energy want to find a solution for capturing and storing CO2 using the example of two LafargeHolcim cement plants. Using Schlumberger's CO2 sequestration technologies, the two companies plan to develop a concept for large-scale industrial use. The companies will provide information about this in a press release of the same name.

    Both are already active in this field. LafargeHolcim claims that it is currently testing more than 20 capture projects in Europe and North America. The group wants to identify the most promising, highly scalable projects. Schlumberger New Energy is working with leading companies in a number of strategic sectors to demonstrate potential solutions in a variety of projects.

    "Our partnership with Schlumberger, the world's leading technology provider for the global energy industry, will bring new advances in storage," said Magali Anderson, sustainability officer at LafargeHolcim. "These should then be replicated on a large scale at our locations."

  • Zurich and Singapore are exploring big cities

    Zurich and Singapore are exploring big cities

    The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ( ETH ) and three Singapore-based universities – the National University of Singapore , the Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore University of Technology and Design – want to jointly research how the global growth of cities can be made more sustainable. To this end, according to a press release on December 1, they launched the Future Cities Lab Global research program. It is an extension of the Future Cities Laboratory of the Singapore-ETH Center , which was successfully completed after ten years.

    This program deals with the major global challenges of increasing urbanization caused by the expansion of existing cities and the emergence of new ones. This against the background that, according to the United Nations, two thirds of the world's population will live in cities by 2050.

    “The ecological and economic advantages of densely populated cities that do not take up much space are being wiped out by the urban sprawl in the hinterland,” explains Professor Stephen Cairns, co-director of the research program and ETH architecture professor in Singapore. "The extent to which we can curb climate change in the next hundred years depends on how well these contrasting city forms are planned."

    Numerous projects are being planned, according to ETH Zurich. Those that have already started dealt with compacted green buildings and quarters, the materials for them and new technologies for the recycling of building materials. In addition, solutions for polluted and flood-prone cities and surrounding regions are sought. Possibilities for sustainable food production in cities and their surrounding areas are also being explored.

  • CO2 reduction is driving the real estate market

    CO2 reduction is driving the real estate market

    In an interview , the new Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Herzog Kull Group Holding AG ( HKG ) puts buildings, structural measures and sustainable building management in the focus of the discussion about reducing CO2 emissions. "With increasing penalties for CO2 emissions, owners of real estate portfolios are increasingly coming under pressure," Beat Huber is quoted as saying. Investors, but also tenants, would place higher demands on energy efficiency and ecological energy supply. Electricity from your own roof and ecological heat supply would be standard in many buildings in the future.

    Huber, who is a proven energy specialist, expects that the new CO2 law will certainly accelerate development in Switzerland. Because of the lower energy costs here compared to other countries, cost savings were not a particular issue in the past. That has changed due to the pressure to save CO2. In Switzerland there are currently a lot of efforts, new services and companies around the topic of building technology.

    In Huber's opinion, financial incentives or taxes in the event of excessively high CO2 values will mean that in the future a property with a solar system and ecological heat supply will no longer be a particularly attractive offer. Instead, you will be “punished by investors and tenants if you cannot offer or have implemented this,” Huber is quoted as saying. These expectations will trigger many investments in real estate and areas. “Large property portfolio owners are currently analyzing their properties with regard to reducing CO2 and making funds available.” He sees great potential for corresponding services, such as those already offered by HKG.

  • Andermatt becomes a practical field for the Graubünden University of Applied Sciences

    Andermatt becomes a practical field for the Graubünden University of Applied Sciences

    The location sponsors of Andermatt Swiss Alps and the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden cooperate for the purpose of knowledge transfer. According to an identical press release from both organizations, they signed a corresponding agreement on Monday. The aim of this is to build up relevant knowledge through the university and to scientifically support its implementation in practice. In terms of content, the focus is initially on digital customer experience, guest loyalty, data management, networks and sustainability.

    Joint research and service projects are to be implemented in these subject areas. "The cooperation is proof of the high quality of the innovation promotion at the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden and strengthens the exchange with external partners through practical projects", says the rector of the University of Applied Sciences, Jürg Kessler.

    As part of this cooperation, the Andermatt Swiss Alps Group offers the platform to test the results of scientific work in practice. In this way, the holiday destination is to be substantially further developed. "Thanks to the cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden, we can further strengthen our uniqueness in individual topics and test and further develop our modernity", Raphael Krucker, CEO of Andermatt Swiss Alps AG, is quoted as saying.

  • VZ Depotbank builds headquarters in the Tech Cluster Zug

    VZ Depotbank builds headquarters in the Tech Cluster Zug

    VZ Depotbank AG and Urban Assets Zug, a subsidiary of Metall Zug AG , have signed a letter of intent for the construction of the new bank headquarters on the area of the Tech Cluster Zug . The Metall Zug Group will provide information on this in a media release . As it says in it, this signature triggers the start of the overall development of the two high-rise buildings CreaTowers East and CreaTowers West.

    VZ Depotbank is expected to move into the 40 meter high east tower in 2025. In a second construction phase, the up to 60 meter high west tower is to be built for urban uses and living, among other things. A shared underground car park is planned for both. The architecture competition is expected to be completed in 2021.

    According to the Metall Zug Group, the development of the Tech Cluster Zug is “ another big step forward shortly after the project was communicated for SHL Medical AG in November 2020”. At that time , Metall Zug announced that the provider of drug delivery systems would build a combined production and office building on the site.

  • Zurich Airport welcomes new tenants

    Zurich Airport welcomes new tenants

    AMAG , Bruno Wickart , RehaClinic , cermony Swiss and Vebego have signed rental contracts for sales, event, therapy and office space in The Circle , according to a statement from Flughafen Zürich AG . In addition to shops and service providers, The Circle also houses restaurants and a Hyatt Regency Hotel.

    The car dealer AMAG is now also setting up a center for new mobility in The Circle. The furniture store Bruno Wickart will present offers for work and living in a new exhibition area. The RehaClinic will move its RehaCenter from the airport to The Circle in mid-2021. The real estate service provider Vebego is creating a location for its international activities in The Circle. And cermony is opening its Bliss Center for massages and other health-promoting services in spring.

  • Mobiliar's craftsmen platform is online for Zurich and Aarau

    Mobiliar's craftsmen platform is online for Zurich and Aarau

    The Mobiliar subsidiary Buildigo has been bringing together craftsmen and clients in Zurich and Aargau on its digital platform since Monday. According to a media release from the insurance company, the focus is on the quality of the service partners and digital processing from the inquiry to payment. This service can be used by both private individuals and SMEs.

    The start-up Buildigo has been active in French-speaking Switzerland since 2017. Since the summer of 2020, it has been supplementing Mobiliar's services for everything to do with living. Your new trade platform on the Internet is starting in the regions of Zurich and Aarau with a selected range of the most relevant industries. The offer will be gradually expanded in the coming months.

  • Sika purchases in Russia

    Sika purchases in Russia

    Sika is buying up the Russian manufacturer of mortar products Kreps LLC, informs the Zug-based building materials group in a press release . The company, with annual sales of around 15 million francs, specializes in the production of tile adhesives, plasters and floor leveling compounds. The notification does not provide any information about the purchase price.

    The new addition is intended to strengthen Sika's position in the region. "Kreps offers a broad product portfolio and an expanded geographic presence for mortar in the Russian Federation," Ivo Schädler, Regional Manager EMEA at Sika, is quoted in the press release. "Together with the improved access to the sales channel, we get a platform to further expand and strengthen our position in this market." The new acquisition has production sites in Saint Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, both regions in which Sika was previously not represented with its own locations.

    With the takeover, a training center operated by Kreps and “well-equipped” production laboratories will also be owned by Sika, the press release explains. According to her, the transaction has yet to be approved by the local antitrust authorities.

  • Mobimo is defying the pandemic

    Mobimo is defying the pandemic

    Mobimo generated an operating result (EBIT) of CHF 145.8 million in the 2020 financial year, the real estate company informed in astatement . Excluding revaluation effects, the operating result was CHF 111.5 million. In the previous year, the corresponding values were CHF 134.0 million and CHF 82.5 million, respectively.

    The development and sale of properties proved to be growth drivers in the year under review. The year-on-year success here had risen from CHF 3.0 million to CHF 36.8 million. The revaluation gain, however, fell year-on-year from CHF 51.5 million to CHF 34.3 million. Mobimo writes that it was mainly generated operationally in the reporting year.

    The real estate company posted rental income of CHF 105.1 million in the year under review. This only just fell short of the value of CHF 106.7 million in 2019. At the same time, Mobimo supported its own tenants from the catering, hotel and retail sectors with rent relief totaling 6.5 million francs due to the pandemic.

    Mobimo's real estate portfolio increased from CHF 3.3 billion to CHF 3.4 billion in the course of the year under review. The average gross return remains unchanged at 4.5 percent, the company informs in the announcement. As of the end of the year, Mobimo had investment properties under construction in the amount of CHF 90 million and in planning in the amount of CHF 490 million.

  • Data centers conquer Switzerland – second highest density in Europe

    Data centers conquer Switzerland – second highest density in Europe

    In terms of population, Switzerland already has an extremely high density of data centers, after the Netherlands it is even the second highest in Europe. The 93 colocation data centers identified in a current study by CBRE Switzerland have an area of at least 154,000 m2, which corresponds to around 22 football fields.

    Zurich ranks sixth in Europe
     With 68 megawatts (MW), the Zurich region ranks sixth in Europe after London (711 MW), Frankfurt (510 MW), Amsterdam (365 MW), Paris (204 MW) and Dublin (94 MW), which is what the data center Capacities. An increase in output by a further 50 MW by 2022 is already assured, as illustrated by various construction projects in Glattbrugg (Interxion), Winterthur (Vantage Data Centers) or Dielsdorf (Green Datacenter). More data centers are already planned, and this will double capacity in a few years.
    The Swiss market currently consists of a mix of wholesale and retail providers. The major projects initiated in recent years are mostly so-called hyperscaler data centers, which are set up by Swiss or foreign operators and used by major international cloud providers such as Google, Oracle, Microsoft and Amazon.

    Good economic conditions and sovereign data protection requirements
     New customer wins from financial service providers, a growing fintech sector and the ongoing migration of international companies to the cloud have encouraged providers to set up cloud regions in Switzerland. Switzerland has its own data protection requirements, which promote sovereignty, but allow international companies to operate on a European basis without having to meet the requirements of the European Union (e.g. General Data Protection Regulation). Problems with the provision of land and electricity, long planning processes and compliance with sustainability criteria remain the most important challenges.

    Even if the market for data centers in Switzerland is considered a niche, private equity firms and increasingly infrastructure funds are discovering this growth market for themselves. The data center market requires specific know-how that is different from other types of property. While traditional real estate investors are not yet showing much interest in data centers, they should keep a close eye on this market over the long term as it offers rapidly growing potential for alternative real estate investments.

  • ETH students create innovative bamboo pavilion

    ETH students create innovative bamboo pavilion

    Students in the master’s course in Advanced Studies in Architecture and Digital Fabrication at ETH have created a bamboo pavilion weighing just 200 kilograms and 40 square meters, the ETH informs in a message . For the design of the innovative pavilion, its creators developed their own digital design tools. In addition to the renewable raw material bamboo, recyclable plastic was also used in the production. All connecting pieces and shading elements were created using 3D printing.

    "The building system developed for this project aims to reduce the logistical effort of building and at the same time to use the advantages of digital production for a more sustainable building culture", Marirena Kladeftira, doctoral student at the Professorship of Digital Building Technologies at ETH, is quoted in the communication . Despite their complicated geometry and their high tolerance requirements, the tailor-made connection pieces can be 3D printed anywhere in the world due to their small size, explains the ETH. The shading elements made of recyclable plastic and Lycra textile can also be produced using 3D printing.

    “This construction method could therefore be used wherever bamboo is available and should be built inexpensively,” writes the ETH. In addition, the modular structure allows the building to be assembled and dismantled quickly. The students' bamboo pavilion was set up in Zurich within 48 hours and dismantled again in the same period of time.

  • UZH gets new center for dentistry

    UZH gets new center for dentistry

    The jury has decided: According to a statement, the new Center for Dentistry (ZZM) at the University of Zurich is to be built according to the plans of the Boltshauser Architects / Drees & Sommer consortium. 46 teams had applied for the architectural competition, 15 had been admitted. Now the winning project “Light Rack” is being further developed under the direction of the UZH together with the building department. A preliminary project that is eligible for approval is to be submitted to the government and cantonal council by 2023.

    The five-storey new building will house the seven clinics and institutes of the ZZM. If everything goes as planned, the new building should be ready for occupancy in 2029. It will be located on what is now the children's hospital in Zurich (Kispi) in Hottingen. The Kispi is expected to move to a new building in Lengg in 2022. François Chapuis, Director of Real Estate and Operations at UZH, is quoted in the press release.

    The new ZZM building is designed as a hybrid structure made of wood and concrete. "The UZH deliberately relies on wooden hybrid buildings in order to improve the CO2 balance," said Chapuis in the press release. The planning provides for a planted inner courtyard and an atrium in the entrance area. The facades and roof are to be equipped with photovoltaic elements and the roof is to be planted with a variety of species. A large part of the energy consumption is to be covered with renewable energies.

  • Swiss and Germans advise on sustainable building

    Swiss and Germans advise on sustainable building

    The Swiss-German exchange on sustainable building 2021 will take place from March 1st to 2nd. The online event aims to promote bilateral discussions on the topic and to provide information on experiences and examples of successful implementation. The aim is also to network possible cooperation partners from Switzerland and Germany.

    The strategy consulting firm Dreberis is organizing this event on behalf of the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy . Your Swiss partners are the Network for Sustainable Building Switzerland and Building Digital Switzerland / buildingSmart Switzerland . The target group includes architecture and engineering offices as well as planners, construction companies and property managers. This online conference is also expressly aimed at users of digital solutions for optimizing business processes in the construction industry, as well as at everyone who advocates sustainable construction.

    Participation is free. Registrations are possible until February 24th. Appointments for individual cooperation discussions with German conference participants on the second day of the event can be arranged in advance. A list of German companies that would like to win cooperation partners in Switzerland can be found on the website of the cooperation days.

  • Government is slowing down traffic planning for Baden

    Government is slowing down traffic planning for Baden

    The new overall traffic concept for the Baden-Wettingen area has to go into an additional planning loop. According to a press release , the Aargau government council decided to leave the concept at the stage of the interim result. In doing so, he is responding to reservations that were expressed in the public hearing.

    In the hearing, for example, it was demanded that the Baden high bridge could also be used by cars in the future. This would also eliminate the need for a new Limmat bridge between Baden and Wettingen. In the Siggenthal a higher traffic load is feared. With the additional planning loop, the continuation of the Limmattalbahn beyond Killwangen could also be included in the planning in the future.

    However, the government council makes an exception in the overall transport concept: the Velosteg between Neuenhof and Würenlos should already be specified in the structure plan. This could secure the federal funds for the project.

    The overall traffic concept for the Brugg-Windisch area, on the other hand, is to be specified in the structure plan. These include the center relief and the bike route.