immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Author: immovestuser

  • Research project focuses on seasonal energy storage

    Research project focuses on seasonal energy storage

    According to a LinkedIn post, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HEIG-VD) and the engineering firmPlanairhave launched the BIG4HEAT project. BIG4HEAT will run for two years and is supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE). Services Industriels de Genève (SIG), Groupe EausGranges-Paccot FR and Cadcime, based in Eclépens VD, are also industrial partners in the project.

    The main objective of the project is to develop an underground seasonal heat storage facility (Chemical Thermal Energy Storage, CTES). The heat energy is to be stored in summer and then used in winter. HEIG-VD and Planair want to use old cisterns for this purpose, which will be converted into heat storage facilities in line with the principles of the circular economy and retrofitting, i.e. the conversion of older facilities. According to HEIG-VD, “seasonal storage could reduce the electricity deficit in winter by almost 20 per cent”. With this project, HEIG-VD and Planair aim to reduce CO2 emissions and create space in urban areas from 2030 onwards by using underground storage facilities.

    Founded in 1956 and based in Yverdon, HEIG-VD conducts research in collaboration with companies, local authorities and national and international partners in various fields such as energy and sustainable development. Planair, based in La Sagne NE, is active in the fields of energy transition and renewable energies.

  • New cooperation improves precision in surveying and construction

    New cooperation improves precision in surveying and construction

    Fixposition announced a collaboration with Topcon Positioning Systems at the Geo Week 2026 trade fair. The fair is taking place in Denver, Colorado, until 18 February 2026. According to a press release, the Schlieren-based specialist in real-time kinematic (RTK) and visually assisted positioning will provide its solutions to the Californian company. The technologies developed by the spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, founded in 2017, are to be integrated into the high-precision satellite-based positioning systems of the Californian company Topcon.

    Topcon offers high-precision GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) positioning technologies for geomatics, construction and agricultural applications worldwide, according to Ron Oberlander, head of Topcon’s Geomatics platform. The integration of Fixposition’s visual positioning technologies will help his company create added value for its customers.

    “Fixposition has developed technology that improves satellite positioning and benefits users even when working inside buildings and transitioning between indoor and outdoor areas, without disrupting the workflow, by combining RTK-GNSS with artificial intelligence to ensure positioning accuracy. We see this AI-powered technology as an innovative integration into our next-generation GNSS solutions.”

    Zhenzhong Su, CEO and co-founder of Fixposition, says he is “proud to deliver Fixposition’s xFusion, Vision and multimodal fusion positioning technology to support Topcon’s next-generation GNSS solutions. We look forward to bringing this new solution to market and helping surveying professionals in geomatics, construction and agriculture achieve faster results and do more without compromising on quality, even in environments where GNSS connections are difficult.”

  • Relocation marks new stage of development

    Relocation marks new stage of development

    HKGhas decided to relocate within Baden-Dättwil. According to a press release, the engineering and consulting firm will be located at Täfernstrasse 14A in Baden-Dättwil from 1 March 2026. The new location offers more space than the previous address at Im Langacker 20.

    For HKG, this marks “a new chapter in the further development of the location,” according to the company. The relocation will create space for further growth and the future of the electrical engineering, building technology and energy consulting provider, which was founded in 1978 according to its own information.

    The additional space will create a better working environment “for creative ideas, efficient collaboration and future-oriented work”. Employees will be able to develop their full potential in a “modern home” and implement projects even more successfully.

  • Orientation in a tight property market

    Orientation in a tight property market

    Bilanz reminds us that the Swiss property market is still “bubbling”. The gap between supply and demand remains wide, and construction activity in many places is not sufficient to meet the demand for residential property. According to real estate surveys, experts expect prices to continue to rise in 2026, particularly for single-family homes and condominiums, while land prices in centres such as Zurich will reach new highs. At the same time, market indicators such as the UBS Swiss Real Estate Bubble Index are warning of increasing overvaluation risks, even though experts currently categorise the risk of an acute bubble as moderate.

    Why Bilanz has chosen the “Top Property Experts 2026”
    Local market knowledge and professional support are becoming increasingly important in this environment. Bilanz and the market research institute Statista have therefore once again identified the “Top property experts in Switzerland 2026”. The award was given to 125 companies that were recommended with above-average frequency in areas such as buying and selling, letting, property management, property valuation, client representation, financing and proptech. The best list is intended to help owners and buyers find suitable partners, from marketing a home to financing a new purchase.

    Recommendations from professionals and customers
    For the ranking, Statista surveyed industry experts and customers who have used property services in recent years. Based on over 2,000 participants, the 125 most recommended companies were identified and included in the list in alphabetical order. Additional key figures such as company size were also taken into account. Bilanz emphasises that the ranking does not replace a complete market overview, but offers a sound guide in a complex market.

  • New investor for Werkmatt Uri

    New investor for Werkmatt Uri

    On 25 February 2026, Director of Economic Affairs Urban Camenzind and Risa Immobilien SA signed the purchase agreement for construction site 11 on Werkmatt Uri. This is based on a purchase rights agreement concluded in 2024 between the Canton of Uri and IG Innovationspark Gotthard. In recent years, the IG has developed the project idea for a functional, sustainably built and architecturally impressive commercial and service building. In October 2025, the municipality of Altdorf granted planning permission for a four-storey building with around 4,000 square metres of floor space and room for around 140 workplaces.

    Marcus Weber backs the Uri location
    Risa Immobilien SA is backed by Marcus Weber, an investor with a high profile in Switzerland in the property, tourism and Alpine infrastructure sectors. He has been involved in Sedrun/Disentis for many years and, as Chairman of the Board of Directors and main shareholder of Bergbahnen Disentis AG, is involved in the expansion of the tourism offering there. Weber is also already present in the canton of Uri, for example with investments in the ski lift, mountain restaurant and accompanying infrastructure on the Brüsti in Attinghausen. By investing in Werkmatt Uri, he is expanding his involvement with another forward-looking project in the Alpine region.

    Project enters the implementation phase
    The planned office and commercial building is being built on the northern edge of Werkmatt Uri, within walking distance of the Altdorf cantonal railway station and close to the future A2 motorway junction. Construction is scheduled to start in autumn 2026, with occupation scheduled for 2028, and the investor wants to push ahead with the implementation quickly. This will create attractive, flexible space in a central location for companies that want to utilise Uri’s locational advantages.

    Werkmatt Uri offers further potential
    At around twelve hectares, Werkmatt Uri is the last large land reserve in the Uri valley floor and has excellent access between the cantonal railway station and the A2 motorway. The site is intended to provide over 1,000 jobs in the long term and be developed specifically for industrial, commercial and service companies. In addition to construction site 11, around eight hectares are still available for sale or the granting of building rights, handled by the canton of Uri. Companies interested in sites can find further information online on the Werkmatt Uri platform.

  • Multiple use of private car parks efficiently utilised

    Multiple use of private car parks efficiently utilised

    Many private car parks remain unused for hours at a time, during the day in residential neighbourhoods and at night at work or shopping locations. With multiple use, owners make their car parks available when they do not need them themselves. This reduces the pressure on public car parks, while cities gain space for more greenery, cycle connections and quality of life. The basis for this is a management concept commissioned by the Department of Construction and Transport, which aims to make more efficient use of private parking facilities.

    Four pilot projects demonstrate the potential
    Since the beginning of this year, four projects have been running in which owners are working together with the car park brokers ShareP and Parcandi. PSP Swiss Property is providing around fifty underground car park spaces for multiple use at Hochstrasse 16. Lonza AG opens its company car park on the Lindenhof site to residents at night and at weekends. There are further offers in the St. Alban suburb at the Goldener Löwen and at Dornacherstrasse 8/10, with solutions for residents and commuters alike. The projects will be monitored and analysed for two years and form the basis for further implementation.

    Flexible offers for different needs
    The new parking models are aimed at different user groups. Commuters can book fixed or recurring parking spaces during the week. Residents benefit from secure parking spaces at night and at weekends. Season tickets are available for regular users, while short-term offers are available for spontaneous journeys. The result is a parking system that adapts to people’s everyday lives instead of creating additional space requirements.

    Advice for owners and supplementary neighbourhood parking
    Owners of parking facilities can now obtain advice free of charge. The initial consultation shows how car parks can be managed more efficiently without a great deal of effort. Multiple-use models can also be used without advice and without authorisation procedures. At the same time, the canton is promoting additional neighbourhood car parks. By taking over the Horburg multi-storey car park, it will create over 300 rentable parking spaces for residents from April 2026, thus strengthening the overall offer in the neighbourhood.

  • Timber construction as an investment

    Timber construction as an investment

    Timber and hybrid buildings have established themselves as a serious alternative to energy-efficient solid construction. Studies conducted by Wüest Partner and Durable on behalf of Lignum and FOEN show that timber buildings can compete with solid construction in terms of construction costs and performance, although they are slightly more expensive on average. For investors, timber construction thus becomes a building block for achieving sustainability goals without sacrificing economic solidity.

    Costs, life cycle and risk profile
    In a cost comparison, the median construction costs of timber buildings are around 10 per cent higher than those of solid construction. In the lower price segment, however, the values are very similar. Energy standards such as Minergie-P have a greater influence on costs than the choice of load-bearing structure. In the short to medium term, timber buildings benefit from high cost security, lower operating and maintenance costs and a better deconstruction and reuse profile. Over very long periods of 80 years, the greater durability of mineral construction methods has a positive impact on costs, meaning that their life cycle costs are lower.

    Ecological advantage and Green Premium
    Ecological evaluations show that timber constructions reduce grey greenhouse gas emissions by an average of around 20 percent compared to a mineral twin, and significantly more for individual components. The effect is particularly large in the case of extensions, where timber construction enables significant CO₂ savings compared to replacement new builds and creates additional space at the same time. International meta-studies on certified green buildings also point to price and rental premiums as well as lower capitalisation rates, an indication that the market rewards sustainability as a risk buffer.

    Time as a yield driver
    The green premium in timber construction is primarily created by process advantages. A high degree of prefabrication, modular systems and digital planning significantly shorten the construction time. For investors, this means earlier returns and a reduction in construction and project costs due to the time factor. Model calculations estimate savings of around CHF 200 per square metre for a six-month time saving. At the same time, scheduling, coordination and weather risks are reduced, resulting in more stable budgets and more predictable cash flows.

    Strategic role in the portfolio
    Institutional investors such as specialised sustainability funds see the main added value of timber and hybrid construction less in rents than in ecological benefits, the reduction of stranded asset risks and robust ESG positioning. In existing buildings, timber construction scores particularly well in the case of extensions and redensification, where its lightness and prefabrication lead to superior overall economics. For yield-oriented investors, timber construction is therefore particularly worthwhile where process advantages, ESG strategy and location quality interact.

  • Why the real estate industry is tackling digitalisation

    Why the real estate industry is tackling digitalisation

    Mr Caspar, pom is regarded as one of the leading consulting companies in the areas of digitalisation, transformation and sustainable property development. How would you describe your role within this ecosystem?
    At pom, we see ourselves as an intermediary between research, development and practice in the property industry. Our role is to recognise new topics at an early stage, classify trends and develop an understanding of what will move the industry in the future. We translate this knowledge into concrete use cases, recommendations and a basis for decision-making for our clients. In doing so, we help companies to separate the important from the unimportant and to focus specifically on those methods, technologies and data that actually create added value for their role in the property industry.

    Which topics are your customers currently most concerned with: data, processes, organisation or technology?
    There is no simple answer to this question. In recent years, the focus has been very much on technology. Many companies have introduced new systems and launched numerous digitalisation projects. This has certainly brought progress, but has also led to a certain amount of disillusionment. Projects were more time-consuming, more expensive and more complex than expected. This was often due to the fact that data and processes were underestimated. We are currently observing a clear shift away from purely technology-driven projects towards more data- and process-orientated approaches. The current AI hype is further reinforcing this development.

    pom emphasises that data is the foundation of modern property management. Where do Swiss companies stand today in terms of data readiness?
    Basically, Swiss property companies are not in a bad position. Most of them have sufficient data readiness to operate their core processes reliably and answer relevant stakeholder questions, but we see a need for development in automation in particular. This requires data to be structured, consistent and available company-wide. Data-intensive topics such as ESG show where the limits lie. Another important point is collaboration across company boundaries. The property industry has always been highly networked. Greater data readiness is crucial to making this collaboration more efficient, digital and automated in the future.

    What are the most common misconceptions about the digitalisation of property portfolios?
    The effort and complexity are often underestimated. In particular, the provision and preparation of the required data is estimated too optimistically. Although data is available, it is often not of the necessary quality or structure. This leads to delays, additional costs and extra work for the specialist departments that should actually be doing their core business. Another misconception is that digitalisation projects can be implemented “on the side”. Professional project structures and the corresponding expertise are often lacking. This has a negative impact on motivation, acceptance and ultimately the success of the project.

    Which technological developments will change the property sector the most in the next 5-10 years?
    Basically, we distinguish between two levels: the digitalisation of the property itself and the digitalisation of the companies that operate these properties. At building level, we are seeing major advances in the cloud, IoT and digital models. The digital mapping of properties, often referred to as the digital twin, is increasingly becoming the standard and enables new forms of automation, while at company level, development will be strongly characterised by AI and process digitalisation. A small number of core applications, combined with flexible low-code platforms, will make it possible to automate processes efficiently and across companies.

    Many companies are experimenting with AI. Where do you see realistic fields of application in the next 24 months?
    In the short term, there is great potential in analysing and evaluating documents and unstructured data. Content can be summarised, evaluated and created more quickly. Another important step is the integration of AI tools into everyday working life, for example as assistance solutions. The next step will be to increasingly link these systems with company-specific data. Reporting and analyses will also change: instead of fixed reports, information will be compiled according to the situation and needs.

    What risks do you see in the use of AI in the property industry?
    We see the biggest challenges less in the regulatory area and more at a cultural and technological level. Many companies do not yet have the necessary skills and structures in place to deal with data and technology. In addition, the Swiss market is highly fragmented and heterogeneous, which makes it difficult to introduce standardised solutions. The property industry is project-orientated and has little serial logic. This further slows down the introduction of new technologies.

    Rate of adoption instead of technology: what are the biggest cultural hurdles?
    A key hurdle is that digitalisation is not yet anchored as a strategic topic in many companies. A lack of expertise, unclear responsibilities and the expectation of implementing digitalisation “on the side” are slowing down implementation. In addition, there is often a lack of willingness to consistently scrutinise and change existing ways of working.

    How is digitalisation changing roles in real estate companies?
    Digital skills will be part of the basic qualification of many roles in the future. The focus will be less on a deep understanding of technology and more on secure user knowledge. At the same time, new roles are emerging, for example for the management of digitalisation projects and digital platforms. These functions ensure that systems are used, developed and operated sensibly.
    This allows asset, property and facility managers to continue to focus on their core business.

    What makes a digitally mature company?
    A digitally mature company anchors digitalisation, technology and data at the highest management level. There is a clear strategic stance, defined goals and responsibilities. Digitalisation is not delegated to IT, but is seen as an entrepreneurial task.
    Such a company also has the necessary roles, processes and expertise to continuously develop digital solutions and adapt them to changing conditions.

    ESG and PropTech are growing together. Which technologies are already creating real impact?
    ESG is a strongly data-driven topic. There are now functioning solutions along the entire data chain, from measurement to key figures. Smart meters, automated analyses of energy bills and the consolidation of data across several buildings are technically feasible. The challenge lies less in individual components and more in end-to-end integration and automation within companies. We do not yet see a comprehensive all-in-one solution.

    Where do you see the biggest gaps between requirements and reality on the market?
    The biggest gaps arise where requirements are only implemented selectively without considering the entire value chain. Data-driven topics in particular show that technical possibilities are available, but organisational and structural requirements are often lacking.

    How do you assess the maturity of the Swiss PropTech market in an international comparison?
    Switzerland has a very lively and innovative PropTech scene. Many solutions are internationally successful. The biggest challenge lies in scalability due to the size of the market and the federal structures. Overall, however, the level of maturity is high and competitive.

    Which PropTech areas are underdeveloped and which are overheated?
    The ESG sector is currently very overheated. There are a large number of solutions, which leads to a certain disillusionment. In international comparison, the consistent use of BIM across the entire property life cycle is particularly underdeveloped. Other countries are further ahead here, especially when it comes to institutional investors.

    Where do you see potential for partnerships between established companies and start-ups?
    Partnerships offer great potential, but are challenging. Established companies think long-term, start-ups are dynamic and innovation-driven. Cooperations are successful where there is mutual understanding and clear expectations are defined, be it in projects, partnerships or targeted funding models.

    Which developments currently surprise you in particular, both positive and negative?
    The AI hype is both positive and challenging. Positive because it promotes innovation, efficiency and new ways of thinking. Negative because expectations are often overestimated in the short term. Sustainable success requires an in-depth examination of data, processes and governance.

    If you could change one thing in the industry immediately, what would it be?
    I would like to see more consistency across the entire property life cycle.
    The project-based, highly individualised way of working makes it difficult to use scalable digital solutions. Approaches such as prefabrication and standardised construction methods could help to enable technological leaps without losing quality and design freedom.

    What drives you personally to drive forward the transformation of the industry?
    I am motivated by change, new projects and the opportunity to develop things further.
    Property is a particularly exciting field because it shapes our daily lives, from living to working. I find shaping digitalisation and transformation in this context to be meaningful and highly relevant.

  • PropTech Switzerland 2025

    PropTech Switzerland 2025

    Around 430 PropTech companies are currently active in Switzerland, many of them with roots at ETH or EPFL. This is an indication of the strong focus on deep tech and research. A large proportion of the companies are still in the early stages of development, with around half generating less than CHF 0.5 million in annual revenue. Nevertheless, the majority of companies expect increasing revenues, which characterises the mix of young start-ups, growing scale-ups and established technology companies.

    Funding, segments and sustainability pressure
    Due to the high number of completed financing rounds in 2024 and according to estimates, several hundred million francs have flowed into Swiss PropTechs in recent years. Solutions for smart buildings, energy efficiency, digital transactions, data analysis and AI-based services are particularly in demand. Around a fifth of companies are active in digital brokerage, followed by smart building solutions and data and AI products. The area of sustainability and lifecycle management is becoming increasingly important, driven by ESG requirements and net zero strategies. A significant proportion of PropTechs now integrate environmental sustainability as a core function of their offerings.

    Internationalisation and visibility in the start-up ecosystem
    Between 30 and 40 Swiss PropTech companies are already active in European or global markets, exporting their technologies or testing them in international pilot projects. At the same time, PropTechs regularly appear in rankings of the most promising Swiss start-ups, where they are among the fastest-growing young companies. The picture is thus shifting from a niche to a visible growth segment in the national innovation ecosystem.


    Slow adoption meets increasing digitalisation pressure
    Despite scalable products, customer acquisition remains challenging. Decision-making and procurement processes in the property industry often take one to one and a half years, which delays market entry and stretches out roll-outs. At the same time, there is increasing pressure to digitalise processes, make better use of data and operate buildings more sustainably. From regulatory requirements to rising energy prices. For PropTechs, this creates a field of tension between long cycles on the customer side and the fast pace of technology and capital requirements.

    Europe as a growth lever and opportunity for Switzerland
    The European PropTech market is growing dynamically and is expected to expand its volume significantly by the end of the decade, driven by investments in AI, smart buildings and sustainable refurbishment technologies. Europe currently holds a substantial share of the global PropTech market, from which Switzerland can benefit disproportionately with its high level of innovation, strong university landscape and exportable solutions. Overall, the scene is small but highly innovative. It is in the process of professionalising itself, becoming internationally oriented and changing the real estate industry in the long term.

    Facts & Figures PropTech Switzerland 2025

  • Industrial site makes way for hotel and modern office space

    Industrial site makes way for hotel and modern office space

    According to a statement, HGC, a building materials supplier operating throughout Switzerland, is relocating its Lucerne site. This move is in response to the development of the former industrial area of Tribschen into a central urban district.

    HGC already relocated its regional transport business to its new site in Inwil last September. The company will also serve all its regional customers from there over the next two years.

    The old site in Tribschen is being converted. The old building at Tribschenstrasse 7/9 was demolished last year. The new Boutiquehotel 6000 is being built here. The new headquarters of the Central Swiss Builders’ Association will be located in the attic.

    The building on the neighbouring property at Tribschentrasse 11 will be converted using the existing supporting structure. The upper five floors will be rented out as offices under the name Tribschen Office. Half of the space has already found tenants. A commercial enterprise and the HGC collection business will be set up on the ground floor.

    HGC has been using the Tribschen site since the early 1920s. The complete renovation and conversion will allow it to benefit from the development of the neighbourhood.

    HGC was founded as a cooperative in 1899 and has its headquarters in Zurich. It trades in building materials and related products. It belongs to its more than 3,000 cooperative members in all construction sectors.

  • Direct real estate strategies for family offices and investors

    Direct real estate strategies for family offices and investors

    Blacklake has founded Blacklake Investment Partners AG in Zug. Its aim is to provide real estate investors and family offices with direct access to real estate opportunities in Europe that are identified beyond traditional market offerings. “Blacklake Investment Partners focuses on real estate opportunities across Europe that are not accessible to the broader market due to their complexity or special circumstances,” said Christoph Schumacher, founding partner and new CEO of Blacklake Investment Partners, in a statement published by the investor portal “Trading View”.

    The business model covers all phases of the investment cycle, from analysis and transaction to the implementation of exit scenarios. The target group includes Swiss, German and international private clients, single and multi-family offices, and (semi-)professional investors. The founding team combines international investment, consulting and corporate management expertise, including at Credit Suisse, Swissair, Union Investment, KPMG and Ernst & Young Real Estate.

    The Zug-based company is affiliated with the Blacklake Group via Hamburg-based Blacklake GmbH and positions itself specifically as an interface between investment opportunities and capital. According to the information provided, the group has reorganised, repositioned, refinanced and transacted real estate and real estate financing with a transaction volume of around €3 billion for German clients since the end of 2022.

  • Rental prices rise only modestly in January

    Rental prices rise only modestly in January

    The Homegate rental index for advertised rents, which is compiled by the real estate marketplace Homegate in collaboration with Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB), measures the monthly, quality-adjusted change in rental prices based on current market offers. For January 2026, the index shows a slight increase of 0.2 per cent compared to the previous month. Compared to January 2025, advertised rents rose by 2.2 per cent across Switzerland.

    At the cantonal and municipal level, the picture is unusually varied. At the start of the year, rents were down in half of the cantons, particularly in Nidwalden (minus 2.7 per cent) and Schwyz (minus 2 per cent). In several cantons, this development followed a phase of one to three months of strong increases. Compared with the previous year, however, asking rents rose in all cantons, particularly in Graubünden (up 7.7 per cent), Glarus (up 6.4 per cent) and Valais (up 6.2 per cent).

    Cities also showed downward trends in January. Compared with December 2025, all cities showed unchanged or lower values. Rents fell particularly sharply in Geneva (down 1.2 per cent) and Lugano (down 1 per cent). Only Zurich recorded an increase in rents in January (up 0.5 per cent). As in the cantons, however, asking rents in all cities are above the previous year’s level. Rents rose particularly sharply in Lugano (up 7.6 per cent) and Lucerne (up 3.8 per cent) in 2025.

    Homegate is a platform of the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group. It brings together the digital marketplaces of TX Group, Ringier and Mobiliar.

  • International cooperation is gaining importance in digital construction

    International cooperation is gaining importance in digital construction

    The software provider Revizto, based in Lausanne, has announced its membership of buildingSmartin a press release. The international organisation buildingSmart, based in Hertfordshire, UK, is committed to improving work processes, for example through internationally valid and open standards for Building Information Modelling (BIM).

    By joining, Revizto is responding to the problem that construction projects are becoming increasingly complex and technically sophisticated. Greater interdisciplinary and international cooperation is needed. As a result, standards and rules must be adapted to the market situation. “Open standards are increasingly crucial to the way the AECO industry works,” said Arman Gukasyan, founder and CEO of Revizto, in the announcement regarding companies in the architecture, engineering, construction and operations (AECO) sectors. “As a Swiss company, joining buildingSMART organisations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland allows us to intensify our involvement in regional communities that are driving the adoption of openBIM. By working closely with project teams in ongoing programmes, we can help link standard development to the practical requirements of project delivery – improving team coordination, minimising risk and working more efficiently.”

    Revizto plans to participate in regional initiatives, working groups and knowledge-sharing activities as part of its memberships and to support the ongoing progress towards open, efficient digital construction practices in the DACH region.

  • Energy sales vary from region to region

    Energy sales vary from region to region

    Industrielle Betriebe Interlaken AG (IBI) sold around 96 million kilowatt hours of electricity in its distribution network in 2025. This represents a slight decrease of 0.9 per cent compared to the previous year. At 13.2 million kilowatt hours, own production was 12 per cent below the previous year’s figure. According to a statement by the energy and water supplier in the Interlaken area, this was due to warranty work on the hydroelectric power plant on the shipping canal.

    The decline was more pronounced in the case of gas. Sales fell to 35.9 million kilowatt hours, which corresponds to a decrease of 19.7 per cent. According to IBI, large customers in particular had optimised their systems or switched to alternative heating systems.

    Water sales in 2025, on the other hand, were 1.1 per cent above the previous year’s figure at around 1.8 million cubic metres. The proportion of spring water was 97 per cent, compared with 99.4 per cent in the previous year. The reason for the decline was cleaning and inspection work on the infrastructure facilities in the Saxettal valley.

    IBI reduced electricity prices by around 24 per cent in the reporting year. This was because the company was able to purchase energy for 2025 at a lower price following the price increases from mid-2022 onwards. In addition, the national grid company Swissgrid also reduced the costs for system services and electricity reserves.

    IBI switched from a dual tariff to a single tariff at the beginning of 2026. The dual tariff, which had been in place since the 1960s, shifted part of electricity consumption to night-time. The strong expansion of photovoltaics has now changed the logic of electricity production and consumption, with solar power being fed into the grid during the day.

  • Biogas plant to be converted to biomethane production

    Biogas plant to be converted to biomethane production

    Axpo Biomasse AG now operates a biogas processing plant in Aarberg instead of the previous combined heat and power plant. The fermentation plant in Aarberg processes around 20,000 tonnes of regional biomass into electricity and natural fertiliser every year. The biogas produced in this process is now processed into biomethane and fed directly into the existing gas network.

    Previously, the biogas was used to generate electricity and heat. The changeover is intended to make more efficient use of the energy content of the biomass used. “In this way, we are making another important contribution to the decarbonisation of the energy supply and to regional value creation,” says Daniel Gobbo, Head of Axpo’s Biomass Business Unit.

    The biomethane produced is purchased by Energie Wasser Bern (ewb), the energy supplier for the city of Bern. According to the announcement, ewb has signed a contract for the complete purchase of the production. Transport will be via the Seelandgas AG network. For possible surplus quantities, Gasverbund Mittelland (GVM) is also building a pressure boosting station so that the gas can be fed into the Gasverbund Mittelland high-pressure network.

    By purchasing the gas, Energie Wasser Bern is contributing to the promotion of biogas production in Switzerland. “By purchasing gas from the Aarberg plant, ewb is consistently pursuing its strategy for a CO2-neutral energy future and strengthening sustainable security of supply,” says Marcel Ottenkamp, Head of Energy Management at ewb.

  • Heating network in Aargau to undergo strategic development

    Heating network in Aargau to undergo strategic development

    AEW will take over the Hägglingen Zinsmatten heating network from the municipality of Hägglingen on 1 May, according to a press release. “We are delighted to continue providing reliable heating to the customers of the Hägglingen Zinsmatten heating network and to work together to develop the plant in a sustainable manner,” said Daniel Wernli, Head of Heat Production at AEW.

    The heating network, which has been in operation since 2007, supplies heat to 30 properties. Wood chips are used as the primary energy source. The plant’s wood boiler has an output of 450 kilowatts, and an oil boiler is also available. AEW estimates the average annual energy consumption at around 1,100 megawatt hours.

    With the Hägglingen Zinsmatten heating network, AEW now operates a total of 78 such plants in the canton of Aargau and neighbouring regions. The production capacity is more than 240 gigawatt hours per year, supplying a total of 17,000 households.

  • Swiss speciality chemicals drive expansion in the sealant market

    Swiss speciality chemicals drive expansion in the sealant market

    Sika has announced the acquisition of Akkim, a Turkish company specialising in adhesives and sealants. The Zug-based specialty chemicals group aims to expand its customer reach and strengthen its market position in the global adhesives and sealants industry. According to a statement, the acquisition is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2026.

    Akkim, based in Istanbul with two production facilities in Turkey and Romania, distributes adhesives and sealants for the construction sector via a wide-ranging customer network. Established distribution channels in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa enable it to serve a broadly diversified customer base. According to the announcement, net sales in 2025 amounted to the equivalent of CHF 220 million.

    Sika expects the greater geographical reach to provide significant growth opportunities. “The acquisition will enable Sika to establish a highly efficient production and export hub for sales-oriented adhesives and sealants, which will support long-term growth in this segment,” the statement said.

    Sika also intends to use Akkim’s additional expertise and broad network to expand its e-commerce business and offer complementary products such as repair mortars and sealing solutions through cross-selling.

  • European network opens up new opportunities for Baden in health tourism

    European network opens up new opportunities for Baden in health tourism

    The city of Baden has become a new member of the European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA). According to a statement, its aim is not only to raise awareness of the importance of Baden’s thermal springs, which date back to Roman times, at a European level, but also to foster exchanges with other spas.

    Membership facilitates joint projects in cultural, health and medical tourism. With its membership, Baden is positioning itself “clearly as a modern cultural and spa town with international appeal,” Mayor Markus Schneider is quoted as saying in the press release.

    TourismusRegion Baden AG is responsible for the operational implementation. “EHTTA membership is much more than just a label for Baden,” Andrea Portmann is quoted as saying. “It is a strategic tool for further developing our positioning in the international market and establishing new partnerships in the field of medical and health tourism,” says the managing director of TourismusRegion Baden.

    The EHTTA is delighted to welcome Baden as a new member. “Baden is an important spa town with a strong history and a clear vision for the future,” says Riccardo Mortandello, EHTTA President and Mayor of Montegrotto Terme.

    The more than 50EHTTA members in 20 countries now include Baden-Baden and Baden bei Wien, as well as Budapest, Karlsbad, Spa, Vichy and Viterbo.

  • Industrial company once again ranks among the most sustainable worldwide

    Industrial company once again ranks among the most sustainable worldwide

    KONE has made it onto the A list in the sustainability ratings for companies just published by CDP, known as the CDP Scores 2025. This list comprises the top 4 per cent of the more than 22,100 companies from around the world that were assessed. The ratings range from D to A and show how ambitious and effective companies are in terms of climate, water security and forests.

    According to a press release, the lift manufacturer has been disclosing its data via CDP since 2009 and has now achieved a CDP rating of A or A- for the 13th consecutive time. At the end of January, KONE was ranked 54th in this year’s Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list by Corporate Knights, placing it second among engineering companies.

    “This recognition reflects our systematic efforts to integrate sustainability into everything we do – from our products and services to our operations and partnerships,” said Kirsi Simola-Laaksonen. He is KONE’s Senior Vice President and responsible for sustainability and the environment.

    He goes on to explain that the proportion of renewable drives in KONE lifts will have increased significantly by 2025. This has improved the energy efficiency of the products and reduced both the company’s own CO2 emissions and those of its customers. As over 99 per cent of emissions come from the product and value chain, the company is “actively working with suppliers to identify opportunities to reduce emissions from the materials used in our products”.

    KONE has been headquartered in Espoo, Finland, since 1910. KONE (Switzerland) AG has been operating in Switzerland since 1996. The company employs over 60,000 people in more than 70 countries.

  • Parahotellerie drives overnight stays in Spiez to new record high

    Parahotellerie drives overnight stays in Spiez to new record high

    Tourism in Spiez reached a new record in 2025 with 198,000 overnight stays. However, according to a statement by Spiez Marketing AG (SMAG), this is solely attributable to growth in the non-hotel sector. This sector increased its overnight stays by 35 per cent to 63,000. At the same time, overnight stays in hotels fell by 2.5 per cent to 135,000.

    More than half of the overnight stays were attributable to visitors from Switzerland. China followed with a share of 9 per cent, Germany with 7 per cent and the USA with 5 per cent. Visitors from Switzerland accounted for 15 per cent of the non-hotel sector, followed by China with 11 per cent, the USA with 10 per cent and Germany with 9 per cent.

    The increase in overnight stays brings with it challenges. Last spring, the municipal council commissioned the local location promoter SMAG to set up a working group. Representatives from politics, the population, the hotel industry and para-hotels, as well as retailers and other tourism professionals, were tasked with identifying these challenges and finding solutions. The resulting 2026 action plan is now to be implemented.

    “It is not our goal to chase overnight stay records,” said Stefan Seger, managing director of Spiez Marketing AG, in the press release. The promotion of tourism should not be at the expense of residents. “We are committed to tourism that is as sustainable as possible.”

  • New platform provides early information on building applications

    New platform provides early information on building applications

    With Baugesuche Pro, Zurich-based Houzy AG has developed a “Switzerland-wide construction alert for your own neighbourhood,” as it describes the service in a press release. Owners, tenants or prospective buyers can use it to get an overview of building applications in their neighbourhood, which previously required studying official gazettes or municipal websites.

    “Transparency about the immediate environment is the basis for smart real estate decisions,” Houzy’s COO and CMO Nicolas Steiner is quoted as saying in the press release. “With Baugesuche Pro, we now offer everyone – from long-time homeowners to tenants planning to buy a flat – a tool to better understand the dynamics in their own neighbourhood without tedious research.”

    Users can register with Houzy and enter the location of their property or their desired neighbourhood. They will then receive a notification for every new building application within a relevant radius.

  • New process brings decorative high-performance wood into series production

    New process brings decorative high-performance wood into series production

    The Koster AG Holzwelten joinery, a family business based in Gossau, has developed what is known as marble wood in collaboration with Empa. Marble wood is characterised by a pattern of fine black lines caused by a fungus. This unique wood, once a rare chance find, is now produced in an annexe of the carpentry workshop using stainless steel containers, laboratories and climate and vacuum chambers. According to a press release, the product is now being marketed under the name Myrai.

    As part of a joint Innosuisse project, the carpentry workshop and Empa developed a standardised, scalable process for the targeted production of marbled wood. In a vacuum chamber, boards made from native hardwoods such as maple, beech or ash are brought to the correct moisture content, sterilised and inoculated with the fungus. They then spend several weeks in a climate chamber to allow the fungus to grow and the resulting patterns to develop. Finally, the wood is dried in a technical process and the fungus dies.

    “The special thing about this fungus is that it does not break down the highly lignified areas of the cell wall, so the wood retains a high degree of bending stiffness,” says Empa researcher and fungus expert Francis Schwarze, who works for the Cellulose & Wood Materials Laboratory in St. Gallen, quoted in the press release.

    The resulting marbled wood is particularly suitable for decorative applications such as furniture, interior design and musical instruments. As part of the project, the carpentry workshop has developed expertise in controlling and refining the appearance of the wood. Jakob Koster, former CEO of Koster AG Holzwelten, will now focus on the sale and further innovation of marbled wood. According to Koster, demand is already high. The carpentry workshop and Empa also already have new ideas for further collaboration.

  • Both Basel cantons want to support the ramp-up of hydrogen

    Both Basel cantons want to support the ramp-up of hydrogen

    The cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft have presented their first joint hydrogen strategy. It aims to build on the region’s role as Switzerland’s energy hub and support the ramp-up of the hydrogen economy. According to a statement on the strategy, the region is well positioned to do so thanks to its trimodal transport infrastructure, the Rhine ports and large tank farms.

    The region intends to rely exclusively on hydrogen produced from renewable energies. This is mainly needed where high energy densities are required. The two cantons commissioned a study by the Zurich-based planning office EBP Switzerland to determine demand. According to the study, hydrogen demand in industry, heavy goods transport and shipping could account for between 0.4 and 3.4 per cent of the energy demand of both cantons in 2025.

    The regional infrastructure for green hydrogen and its derivatives, such as methanol, is to cover all stages of the value chain, from production to use. The strategy focuses on both hydrogen clusters and energy hubs in order to create industrial ecosystems.

    Economically, the production of green hydrogen makes sense above all in close proximity to the production of renewable energies. The municipal utility company IWB and Fritz Meyer AG are currently planning Switzerland’s largest electrolyser in the port of Birsfelden. It will have a capacity of 15 megawatts and will draw its electricity from the Birsfelden run-of-river power plant.  The hydrogen could be consumed by industry in the immediate vicinity. IWB also wants to offer the planned cluster to projects in Germany and France. However, the final investment decision has not yet been made. Part of the hydrogen pipeline is already under construction along the Rhine.

  • Positive employee reviews earn Top Company award

    Positive employee reviews earn Top Company award

    The ERNE Group has been named a Top Company three times by the German employer portal kununu. According to a press release, the awards went to ERNE AG Bauunternehmung and ERNE AG Holzbau from Laufenburg, as well as HUSNER AG Holzbau from Frick. The employer seal is awarded to companies that receive consistently positive ratings from their employees. According to the press release, this confirms the ERNE Group’s appreciative and development-oriented corporate culture.

    Kununu assesses employers in German-speaking countries based on independent employee reviews. Satisfaction, trust and continuity within the company are evaluated using clearly defined criteria. Overall, around 5 per cent of the companies assessed qualify for the kununu employer seal.

    “This award is only possible thanks to our employees. Their open feedback, daily commitment and active solidarity are what make ERNE the employer it is,” says the ERNE Group’s announcement. “Whether in everyday work or at joint events, team events and the ERNE Fäscht, our culture of togetherness is a central part of our identity.”

    The award also confirms the Group’s commitment to balancing tradition and innovation and working together to overcome challenges with creative solutions.

  • How Basel-Landschaft creates spaces for innovation and living

    How Basel-Landschaft creates spaces for innovation and living

    Basel-Landschaft is building for the future. Former industrial sites are being transformed into innovative campuses, flexible business parks and urban neighbourhoods. The Dreispitz combines art, education and high-tech on the cantonal border and creates space for 4,000 jobs, research and sustainable architecture at the highest level. Uptown Basel in Arlesheim is positioning itself as a hotspot for Industry 4.0 and MedTech with quantum computing pioneers and ecological lighthouse character. New districts in Muttenz, BusinessCity and AM SCHÄNZLI combine living and working spaces, green open spaces and climate-friendly mobility, further raising the location’s profile as a centre of knowledge and innovation.

    In Pratteln, modern urban living spaces are being created with Bredella, the Campus der Wirtschaft and Zentrale Pratteln, which focus on sustainable development, smart infrastructure and flexible utilisation concepts. In Allschwil, Bachgraben is developing into a leading life sciences location with the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area, where biotech, medtech and pharmaceutical companies are driving forward cutting-edge research and high-tech innovations. The Laufen Industrial Park and Ziegelei Ost in Allschwil create impetus for regional production, craftsmanship and community, focussing on the circular economy and CO² reduction. GETEC PARK is a growth driver for chemistry and life sciences, driven by decarbonisation and ESG standards.

    Basel-Land demonstrates how diversity, sustainability and innovation are driving transformation.

    Dreispitz
    Dreispitz in Münchenstein (Basel-Landschaft) is one of the most diverse areas in the Basel region. Art, education and business come together here. Over 380 companies and around 4,000 jobs characterise the Dreispitz business park, flanked by universities such as the FHNW and creative clusters. The intercantonal area offers space for innovative companies, start-ups, culture and modern educational institutions. A vital future location for the entire region.
    www.dreispitz.ch

    uptownBasel
    uptownBasel is building the future. A state-of-the-art innovation campus for the jobs of the coming decades has been under construction since 2019. The world-famous dental implant manufacturer Straumann is relocating a total of 1,000 jobs to the future-oriented development site by 2028. Arlesheim will thus become the most important hotspot for medical technology in Switzerland. The campus, which is being realised at a rapid pace by the Staehelin family and Fankhauser Arealentwicklungen, is characterised by several buildings already under construction with sustainable architecture at the highest level. The Roofdeck has now attracted worldwide attention and, together with the seminar and event rooms, serves to make the site a state-of-the-art centrepiece for the industrial location of Baselland.
    uptownbasel.ch

    Laufen Industrial Park
    The Laufen Industrial Park is located on the former Keramik Laufen AG tile factory on the south-eastern edge of the city and has been owned by the Abendrot Foundation since 2017. Following the major fire in 2020, which destroyed around 80% of the substance, the industrial site will be rebuilt as a single-storey timber system building from 2025 to 2027. The aim is to provide modern, affordable accommodation for small regional businesses, tradespeople and creative professionals, with flexible rental space and customised expansion options. A network of commercial lanes ensures good access and lighting and promotes networking between users. Densification and multi-storey extensions are possible in order to respond flexibly to regional demand. The focus is on sustainability. Re-use of building components, wood instead of concrete and renewable energy characterise the concept. An area association is intended to strengthen cohesion. Overall, a regionally relevant, versatile and sustainable commercial centre is being created.
    www.abendrot.ch

    AM SCHÄNZLI
    The new AM SCHÄNZLI neighbourhood in Muttenz marks an urban reinterpretation of living, working and leisure at the gateway to Basel. Three high-rise buildings with 385 flats and 14,000 m² of commercial space will be built on the 74,000 m² “Hagnau Ost” site by 2029. A central square and intensive greening will lend urban density and quality of life directly on the Birs recreational area. The focus is on resource-conserving construction, energy efficiency (SNBS Gold), photovoltaics and optimised mobility for pedestrians and cyclists. AM SCHÄNZLI stands for modern site development and sustainable integration of city and nature.
    am-schaenzli.ch

    BaseLink site
    The Bachgraben site in Allschwil has developed into Basel’s innovation engine. The site combines international life science companies, cutting-edge research and sustainable urban development. Projects such as the BaseLink site and new public transport and cycling initiatives are creating attractive workplaces and an urban environment. Close cooperation between the canton, the municipality and the business community is creating momentum and making the area a showcase project in the tri-national region.
    sip-baselarea.com/maincampus/

    Campus of the economy
    The new Campus der Wirtschaft is located directly next to the railway station in Pratteln and is developing into one of the most important event and work locations in the Basel region. By 2028, the H² building will be a state-of-the-art centrepiece. Six storeys will offer over 10,000 m² of flexible laboratory, event and office space, supplemented by a congress hall for up to 1,900 people and a total of more than 6,000 m² of event space. The campus is aimed at companies from industry, research and services, with sustainable architecture, optimal accessibility, infrastructure from a single source and synergies with the Bredella neighbourhood. The development strengthens the region’s competitiveness and positions Pratteln as an international centre for innovation, exchange and major events.
    h2-pratteln.ch

    GETEC PARK.MUTTENZ
    GETEC PARK.MUTTENZ is the leading industrial cluster in north-west Switzerland for chemicals, pharmaceuticals and life sciences. State-of-the-art infrastructure, safe laboratory and logistics areas as well as sustainable energy and resource concepts are concentrated on 50 hectares. The park, created from Infrapark Baselland and Schweizerhalle, is home to global corporations and numerous SMEs. Innovative solutions such as Waste2Value and ESG-based processes make GETEC the growth engine of the industry.
    www.getec.swiss

    Pratteln headquarters
    The Zentrale Pratteln project is transforming the former Coop site north of the railway station into a lively, environmentally and socially oriented neighbourhood. By 2026, around 480 cooperative flats for 1,200 people will be built, supplemented by a new school, around 15,000 m² of commercial space and a variety of open spaces. Construction and planning consistently focus on preserving existing buildings, reusing building components and sustainable energy supply. Historic industrial buildings such as the sugar silo will be retained. The cooperation between six property developers and the innovative utilisation concept make Zentrale Pratteln a showcase project for non-profit and sustainable neighbourhood development in the Basel region.
    centralpratteln.ch

    Bredella in Pratteln
    Bredella in Pratteln stands for the large-scale transformation of a central industrial site into an innovative urban neighbourhood. In the immediate vicinity of the railway station, 87,000 m² of diverse living, working and leisure facilities are being created, interspersed with green squares and renovated industrial buildings. The masterplan and neighbourhood plans focus on gradual development, sustainable mobility and a high quality of stay. With perimeter blocks, high-rise buildings, commercial and studio spaces, car-free areas and lively ground floors, a model for urban living in the Basel region is being created. Bredella boldly combines modernity, history and sustainable development.
    bredella.ch

    Brickworks East
    Ziegelei Ost in Allschwil is undergoing a comprehensive transformation into a lively, mixed neighbourhood. Historic buildings are being carefully preserved and combined with new uses for living, working and recreation. Large green areas, diverse public spaces and a finely meshed network of paths connecting three central squares – Kulturplatz, Quartierplatz and Lettenwiese – are characteristic of the area. The industrial tradition remains tangible through the preservation of the brickworks and their integration into modern structures. The project emphasises circularity, the reuse of building components and flexible new buildings in order to ensure climate protection, sustainability and a high quality of life.
    www.ziegelei-ost.ch


  • Renovating bridges with “smart” steel

    Renovating bridges with “smart” steel

    Many reinforced concrete bridges were designed for traffic loads and vehicle weights that are outdated from today’s perspective. At the same time, chlorides, water and frost have been causing problems for the structures for decades. Traditional refurbishments reach their limits where components are already severely cracked or permanently deformed.

    This is where the new Empa system comes in. It combines a proven method, the additional layer of ultra-high-strength, fibre-reinforced concrete, with an active reinforcing element that specifically builds up internal prestressing forces. The aim is not only to increase load-bearing capacity, but also to literally rebuild damaged bridge slabs.

    UHPFRC meets shape memory steel
    Bridges are already being retrofitted with a thin layer of ultra-high performance fibre-reinforced concrete, which is applied directly to the deck slab. The high-performance concrete is very dense, resists water and de-icing salts and can be easily reinforced. A robust “protective armour” with structural added value.

    The Empa team led by Angela Sequeira Lemos and Christoph Czaderski is now replacing the conventional steel reinforcement in this layer with bars made of iron-based shape memory steel. After installation, the bars are heated to around 200 degrees Celsius and attempt to contract, but are prevented from doing so by the concrete. The result is an internal prestress that closes cracks, reduces deformations and permanently puts the slab in a more favourable state of tension.

    Cracks close visibly
    In a first step, the team investigated the bonding effect between UHPFRC and shape memory steel. How well does the bond remain after heating? How reliably can forces be transferred? This was followed by large-scale tests with five concrete slabs, each five metres long, which simulated self-supporting bridge decks.

    One slab remained unreinforced, the others were given a UHPFRC layer, either with conventional reinforcement or with Fe-SMA bars. In order to simulate realistic conditions, the slabs were initially loaded until cracking occurred and only then reinforced. After heating the Fe-SMA bars, existing cracks visibly closed and sagging areas lifted up again. Significant improvements in deformation were already evident during this activation phase.

    Stiffer, stronger, longer-lasting
    The tests were accompanied by a dense measurement concept. Digital cameras observed the crack patterns, while fibre-optic sensors inside the panels recorded strains along the rods. Similar to fibre optic cables in telecommunications, except that here the backscattered light is used to measure deformation.

    Both the conventional reinforcement with UHPFRC and the new system with shape memory steel were able to at least double the load-bearing capacity compared to the unreinforced plate. However, under everyday loads, such as normal road traffic, the Fe-SMA variant proved to have a clear advantage. The panel became stiffer, permanent deformations occurred later or disappeared completely and existing cracks could be closed. The system thus acts like a “reactivation” of the existing load-bearing structure.

    Fields of application and next steps
    Both the ultra-high-strength fibre-reinforced concrete and the shape memory steel are still relatively expensive. The system is therefore most economically attractive where other reinforcement methods are no longer sufficient. For example, in heavily deformed, already damaged bridges or, in particular, sensitive structures with limited intervention space.

    The use of the system is not limited to bridges. Applications in building construction are also conceivable, for example in cantilevered balconies, flat roofs or sensitive components where compact reinforcement solutions and a very dense surface are required. The Innosuisse-funded project was developed in collaboration with OST, the Empa spin-off re-fer and cemsuisse. Following the successful trials, the team is now looking for a suitable bridge for the first pilot application. If this step is successful, the “smart” reinforced concrete could develop into an important tool for dealing with the ageing Swiss bridge infrastructure.

  • Gaudí’s hidden chalet in the Pyrenees

    Gaudí’s hidden chalet in the Pyrenees

    Neither original plans nor an official signature by Gaudí exist for the Catllaràs chalet. For decades, the attribution was based primarily on formal similarities to known works. The investigation commissioned in 2023 by the Gaudí Chair of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia therefore opted for a different strategy: geometric and constructive analyses instead of archival finds at the last moment.

    Under the direction of Galdric Santana, the building was measured in three dimensions, its supporting structure analysed in detail and compared with confirmed Gaudí buildings. The team also analysed historical photographs and the building history surrounding the projects for Eusebi Güell. The study concludes that the design was by Gaudí, but that the execution was the responsibility of third parties and deviated from the original concept.

    The logic of the vaults
    The core of the argument is the supporting structure. The chalet has a rectangular floor plan and a pointed vaulted roof that reaches almost to the ground. The roof and façade are structurally one unit; windows are located exclusively in the long walls and look like mansards cut into the vault. The end walls remain closed, statically consistent, formally radical.

    The decisive factor is the central longitudinal axis, which acts as a load-bearing backbone to support the storeys. Santana emphasises that this constructive logic is typical of Gaudí. The vault not only serves as a ceiling, it also supports the levels above it. This is based on working with a chain or cable model. The sagging line of a loaded chain provides the ideal pressure line of an arch. If this model is turned round, the result is a vault shape that is almost completely under pressure, a principle that Gaudí systematically utilised.

    Interventions during construction
    However, the study also shows that the load-bearing structure was altered during construction. Instead of consistently transferring the loads via the vault and the central axis, the builders inserted additional transverse walls. Longitudinal beams took over parts of the load transfer, which weakened the original radical clarity of the system.

    Santana sees this as a possible reason why Gaudí never openly claimed authorship. The “cable car”, working with the ideal chain line, was not consistently implemented in the chalet for the support of the floor slabs. The idea can be seen in the supporting structure, but its consistent application was only partially realised.

    Gaudí and Güell
    The chalet was commissioned by Eusebi Güell, Gaudí’s main patron. He ran a coal mine and the Asland cement factory in the region. The building served as accommodation for engineers and technical specialists and their families. As such, the house does not stand in the context of prestigious city palaces, but rather in the field of tension between industry, infrastructure and the harsh mountain landscape.

    The project coincided with a phase in which Gaudí was working on Park Güell and the Colònia Güell church at the same time. Against this background, it seems plausible that he did not take on the construction management of a remote chalet in the Pyrenees himself. After the mine and factory were shut down, the house was used as a country school for a time and many locals remember it from their childhood. Today it has been restored and is open to the public, and is an identity-forming building block for the municipality of La Pobla.

    Typical of the region and highly rational
    The chalet occupies a special place in Gaudí’s oeuvre. It is significantly smaller than icons such as the Sagrada Família, but it shows central motifs of his thinking. Santana speaks of a large-scale reinterpretation of the Gothic mountain huts of the Pyrenees. Gaudí takes up regional building traditions, but transforms them structurally and geometrically.

    The compact, self-contained form responds to the harsh climate and reduces construction costs. Materials are largely sourced from the surrounding area and the building blends topographically into the slope. The 45-degree distributors in the floor plan, which Gaudí also used in the Torre Bellesguard, are also characteristic. They create flowing spatial transitions and break up rigid orthogonal systems – another element of identification.

    How architectural science examines authorship
    The study of the Catllaràs chalet is not only a contribution to Gaudí research, but also a lesson in methods of architectural attribution. In contrast to painting, buildings rarely have a clear “signature”. Works are remodelled, extended or converted by employees, plans are lost or only exist in fragments. The researchers therefore combined geometric analyses, material investigations and digital 3D models with historical source work. Proportions, curvatures and structural logic were compared with verified Gaudí buildings, while photographs from the time of construction completed the picture. At the presentation, the Minister of Culture emphasised how indispensable such scientific certifications are in order to reliably determine authorship. Catllaràs’ chalet is thus transformed from a local special case into a clearly localised building block in the oeuvre of one of the most important architects of modernism.

  • Tandem modules shift solar boundaries

    Tandem modules shift solar boundaries

    Silicon modules established on the market today achieve an efficiency of around 20 to 24% and are therefore already close to the material-specific limit of 29.4%. This limit is a consequence of the so-called Shockley-Queisser limit, which describes a maximum efficiency of 33.2% under ideal conditions for solar cells with only one semiconductor layer.

    The reason for this lies in the band gap of the material: it determines which wavelengths of light can be converted into electricity. If the band gap is too large, long-wave photons are lost; if it is too small, some of the energy is lost as heat. Silicon does not exactly meet this theoretical optimum, which is why only limited increases in efficiency are possible with conventional silicon technology.

    Tandem principle
    Instead of just one semiconductor layer, several layers with different band gaps are combined. Each of these layers utilises a different part of the solar spectrum, from short to long wavelengths. This allows significantly more of the irradiated energy to be converted into electricity, effectively overcoming the classic single-layer limit.

    Theoretically, efficiency levels of over 60% are possible with tandem cells, depending on the material combination and structure. The technical challenge lies not only in the choice of materials, but also in transforming them into a stable module that works reliably under real conditions.

    In the “Vorfahrt” project, a tandem module was created which, according to Fraunhofer ISE, achieves an efficiency of 34.2%, currently the most efficient solar module in the world. It is based on a triple-stacked III-V semiconductor structure on a germanium substrate, an architecture that was originally developed for space solar cells.

    Project partner Azur Space has adapted its space cells to the terrestrial solar spectrum and scaled them up for module production. The company Temicon is contributing a nanostructure on the glass surface that minimises reflection losses and thus opens up additional efficiency percentage points.

    The second record module comes from the “Mod30plus” project. Here, the researchers combined a III-V semiconductor with the more cost-effective silicon instead of germanium, achieving a module efficiency of 31.3%. The basis is III-V/silicon tandem cells with a cell efficiency of 36.1%, which were manufactured and interconnected for the first time in a small series at the institute.

    III-V/silicon technology is moving away from pure laboratory status and towards industrially scalable processes. Both modules clearly exceed the physical limit of classic silicon modules of 29.4%. A value that was long considered almost impossible to achieve.

    Module values for practical use
    In photovoltaics, a distinction is made between cells and modules. Cells are measured under idealised laboratory conditions, while modules consist of many interconnected cells embedded in glass and frames. Inactive surfaces, conductor paths and reflections cause unavoidable losses.

    Accordingly, module efficiencies are always lower than the cell efficiencies, even in the case of Freiburg’s record-breaking technology. Module values are therefore crucial for real applications, as modules are always installed on roofs, façades or vehicles, never individual cells.

    When every square centimetre counts
    High-performance modules become exciting where space is scarce and expensive. For example, in building-integrated photovoltaics, where modules act as façade or roof elements, or on vehicles. The project partners include Audi, which emphasises the potential for vehicle applications.

    Efficiency for the mass market
    Fraunhofer ISE is also pursuing another tandem route. Perovskite silicon modules, developed jointly with Oxford PV, among others. A full-format module with a surface area of 1.68 m² already achieves 25% efficiency and has been produced on production lines that are also suitable for mass production. This technology is aimed less at absolute records than at broad market penetration with comparatively cheap materials and should be suitable for standard roofs in the future. Research groups, including in Hong Kong, are also reporting perovskite-based cells with efficiencies of up to 40%, which illustrates the dynamism in this segment.

  • From local entrance to networked residential address

    From local entrance to networked residential address

    The Neugut site marks the southern entrance to Rickenbach and is located in the municipality’s core zone. The project proposal by Fischer Architekten and Uniola groups seven new residential buildings around two courtyards, while an existing eighth building is integrated into the neighbourhood. A new building with commercial use on the ground floor will be constructed on the site of the existing restaurant, addressing the entrance to the neighbourhood and the village.

    urban planning classification
    The alignment of the new buildings is based on the existing building and Haus Wiesental on the one hand, and on the almost parallel alignment of the surrounding village buildings on the other. This creates a settlement pattern that takes up the existing structure instead of creating a foreign body.

    A narrow stream separates the residential area from the open field and at the same time forms a clear landscape edge. The large lime tree and the position of the “Wiesental” are retained in the new concept, which strengthens the continuity of the townscape.

    interlocking landscape and settlement
    Two use-intensive courtyards form the inner backbone of the new settlement. Opposite them, green spaces are pushed into the development structure from the west, linking the landscape and settlement areas.

    Thanks to the targeted arrangement of the underground car park, the majority of the green space remains unbuilt. This improves planting, infiltration and the water cycle and is in line with the spatial planning objectives of functionally securing and enhancing green spaces.

    Neighbourhood for pedestrians and bicycles
    Garage access, deliveries and above-ground visitor parking spaces are bundled together at the southern edge of the perimeter. There, the neighbourhood opens up to the street space with a square in front of Haus Wiesental, marking the transition from traffic to the residential-oriented inner area.

    The interior of the area is reserved for pedestrians and cyclists. The project thus sends a clear signal in favour of the quality of life within the neighbourhood and a traffic-calmed residential environment.

    Timber construction and expression
    With the exception of the basement floors and stairwells, the buildings are designed as timber structures. The façade consists of an insulated timber frame construction with rear-ventilated timber cladding, thus combining energy efficiency with reduced CO₂ emissions.

    vertical double supports structure the façades primarily in terms of height, but vary depending on the building type. In this way, the material appearance remains harmonious, while the structure subtly refers to the internal spatial system and gives the ensemble a lively character.

    from study commission to design plan
    The project was preceded by a study commission with five invited teams, from which Fischer Architekten and Uniola emerged as the winners. The jury particularly recognised that the proposal “naturally” fits into the existing development structure and strengthens the character of the entrance to the town.

    The next stage is the private design plan, which is expected to become legally binding in 2027. Only then will the specific construction project be developed – with the aim of transforming the Neugut site from a specialised use with equestrian facilities to a finely networked residential quarter with a clear address at the entrance to the village.

  • Railway station north Regensdorf

    Railway station north Regensdorf

    The “Baufeld N O” development comprises ten buildings with a total of around 283 rental flats and two inner courtyards. Four- and five-room flats are also planned, which are particularly attractive for families.

    The utilisation concept envisages a strong mix. The development will include a daycare centre and a kindergarten, a restaurant, a grocery shop and other shops and services. Two buildings are planned as purely commercial buildings, while the remaining eight will contain flats from the first to the seventh floor. An underground car park with 289 parking spaces and over 1000 bicycle parking spaces will provide underground access.

    Location and access
    The project is located between the SBB railway line and the Wehntalerstrasse cantonal road and replaces older commercial buildings on the edge of the municipality. This will continue the transformation of the former commercial area near Regensdorf railway station into a dense residential neighbourhood along the transport axis. The first high-rise building, currently the tallest wooden high-rise in Switzerland, and another residential tower have already been realised or are under construction in the immediate vicinity.

    Plots N and O are located on the edge of the settlement in front of the forest and Katzensee area, which emphasises the project’s role as a hinge between densification and landscape. A new road (Spange Althardstrasse) will run along the railway line to the cantonal road, bundling the traffic from the new buildings and routing it into the higher-level network. Plazza has already demolished a commercial building on the railway line for this purpose, and initial preparatory work is underway.

    Architecture and expression
    The design of the development builds on the industrial past of the site. The seven-storey residential buildings will have façades with ceramic and metal panels. Light-coloured profiled sheet metal façades are planned towards Kantonsstrasse, with darker ceramic façades in the inner courtyards, structured by light-coloured window frames and balcony balustrades.

    Two inner courtyards structure the dense development and offer sheltered outdoor spaces in an environment characterised by infrastructure. According to Plazza, visualisations of the various building types are currently being revised and will be published at a later date.

    Project status, costs and rental potential
    The design plan has been legally binding since August 2025 and the construction project is available. Plazza assumes that construction work will begin in 2026 and, according to the planning application, will last until spring 2029.

    According to Plazza, the investment volume is between CHF 220 and 240 million and the annual rental potential is likely to exceed around CHF 9 million. This makes the Bahnhof Nord project one of the most important development components in the company’s portfolio and one of the key growth projects on the outskirts of Zurich.