Category: immoNews

The area between St.Gallen and Gossau receives the green light

The area between St.Gallen and Gossau is already home to numerous companies. Thanks to the motorway, the S-Bahn and the bus connections, it is already well developed today. Now both cities want to develop the 1.7 million square meter area between St.Gallen and Gossau. It should be upgraded in terms of traffic technology, attract new companies and give existing companies room for further development.

The St.Gallen city parliament gave the green light for the development planning on October 27th, the Gossau city parliament followed on November 3rd, as the association Areal St.Gallen West – Gossau Ost writes in a message .

The decision was made unanimously in both city parliaments. In the debate on October 27th, according to an article in the “Tagblatt”, the green St.Gallen city parliamentarian Andreas Hobi emphasized that the area has a high added value and that public transport should have its own route. Ivo Liechti emphasized on behalf of the CVP / EPP group that the area represents the largest contiguous work zone in the canton.

The cost of development planning is budgeted at CHF 1.734 million. The two cities each contribute 611,200 francs of this. The canton takes on 20 percent of the remaining 30 percent, the neighboring municipality of Gaiserwald SG and the economy 5 percent each. The also adjacent Herisau AR does not contribute to the costs of the development.

November 2020
Airport opens The Circle

The Circle has been the largest building construction site in Switzerland for years. The building complex next to the airport has been open to the public since Thursday, as the airport writes in a message .

The opening takes place gradually. The University Hospital Zurich has been represented in the Circle with a health center since October, and the Victoria Pharmacy has already opened. Stores like Avec and Bayard open in November. The Hyatt Regency Hotel with the Convention Hall for 2500 people opens in December, the Hyatt Place Hotel follows in the spring. Some office tenants have already moved in. Other tenants such as Abraxas, Microsoft, MSD, Novo Nordisk, SAP and Oracle are gradually following suit. A shared office from Westhive will follow in the spring.

Andreas Schmid, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Flughafen Zürich AG, emphasizes that construction costs have been kept under control and The Circle is almost fully let. “The decision to implement was a courageous step by the two co-owners,” he is quoted in the press release. "Today we can reap the benefits."

Rolf Dörig sees it similarly: "The Circle is a future-oriented development in every respect: compact and sustainable construction in the right location and a modern usage concept that is geared to the needs of current and future generations," said the Chairman of the Board of Directors of co-owner Swiss Life quoted.

November 2020
LuzernPlus President Michèle Graber resigns

Michèle Graber, who has chaired LuzernPlus since January 1, 2020, has decided to resign. Your resignation as of December 31, 2020 is due to time constraints. Her main job is to lead the inter-company courses for dental assistants in Central Switzerland. She has also been a member of the Lucerne Cantonal Council since 2011. The effort that the Presidium entails, the work as a cantonal councilor and, in particular, the additional workload as a result of Corona were not compatible with each other in the long term.
«I was very happy to support the LuzernPlus community association. The time resources that I can make available to the association under the given conditions, however, cannot be reconciled with my high demands on the quality of my work. That's why I decided to focus on fewer tasks, ”says Michèle Graber. “I got to know a very dynamic association whose goals I was very happy to support. Regional cooperation is one of the strengths of our region and it should definitely be expanded. "
André Bachmann, board member of LuzernPlus, regrets the resignation. «We would like to thank Michèle Graber for her careful work. With her friendly manner she gave the association a face ». Bachmann continues: “In particular, the connection with the Cantonal Council was very important for our association. We appreciate that Michèle Graber will remain connected to our association. We wish Michèle Graber all the best for her professional and private future. "
The search for a successor is ongoing
André Bachmann, previous board member, takes over the presidential duties on an interim basis. In addition, the Board of Management immediately initiated the search for a successor. "We will carefully set up the process for succession planning and inform our delegates about the planned steps by the end of 2020." Bachmann continues: "The replacement election is expected to take place at the delegates' meeting in April 2021."

November 2020
Vorlage «Unterfeld Süd» in Baar an der Urne angenommen

Komitee und Bauherrschaft sind überzeugt, dass Baar mit der Annahme der Vorlage «Unterfeld Süd» gestern einen richtigen und wichtigen Entscheid für die künftige gesunde Entwicklung des Lebens- und Wirtschaftsraums Baar getroffen hat. Die Stimmbürgerinnen und Stimmbürger bekennen sich zu einem Konzept, welches unter Führung der Gemeinde Baar und gemeinsam mit Experten und Baarer Interessenskreisen entwickelt wurde.

Ein Quartier, das neue Massstäbe setzt
Über die nächsten Jahre soll im Unterfeld Süd ein nachhaltiger Lebensraum mit einem zukunftsorientierten, vielfältigen und ergänzenden Angebot entstehen, der in Baar und in der Region Zug neue Massstäbe setzt. Der Bauherrschaft schwebt ein Quartier vor, das Dorf mit Kleinstadt, Tradition mit Zukunft, sowie Arbeiten und Wohnen zu einer Symbiose verbindet und einen vernetzten Raum mit neuen Lebens-, Wohn- und Arbeitsformen bildet.

Das Unterfeld Süd bietet vielfältige Entwicklungs- und Nutzungsmöglichkeiten. Neben den Wohnungen (Miete, Stockwerkeigentum, preisgünstiges Wohnen) sind weitere Nutzungen wie Büros und Dienstleistungen sowie publikumsorientierte Nutzungen in Teilen der Erdgeschosse vorgesehen.

Das Areal ist ein kantonales Verdichtungsgebiet und liegt als eine der letzten unbebauten Bauzonen der Region direkt auf der Gemeindegrenze zwischen Baar und Zug am Bahnhof Baar-Lindenpark und angrenzend an die Erholungszone Lorze.

Etappierte Umsetzung
Die Bauherrschaft geht jetzt umgehend die nächsten Schritte an, um den Willen der Baarer Stimmbürger zeitnah umzusetzen. Anfang 2021 startet ein Architekturwettbewerb für die erste Bauetappe, dem die Richtlinien des Quartiergestaltungsplans zugrunde liegen. Nach der Auswahl des Siegerprojekts im Sommer 2021 wird ein entsprechender Bebauungsplan ausgearbeitet, welcher voraussichtlich im Sommer 2022 der Baarer Gemeindeversammlung vorgelegt werden kann. Anschliessend erfolgt die Baueingabe für die zwei Baufelder der ersten Bauetappe. Die weiteren Bauetappen werden voraussichtlich mit einer leichten zeitlichen Verschiebung parallel bearbeitet. Die ersten Bauarbeiten für die Erstellung der Gebäude auf dem Gelände beginnen frühestens im Sommer 2023. Implenia ist für die gesamte Arealentwicklung zuständig und entwickelt die Baufelder 1A und 4 (im Bild in Gelb markiert) als Eigentümer sowie die Baufelder 1B und 3 (im Bild in Grün markiert) im Auftrag von Ina Invest.

Wir danken der Gemeinde Baar, den aktiven Unterstützern aus Politik und Gesellschaft, sowie den Baarer Stimmbürgerinnen und Stimmbürgern für ihr Vertrauen und das klare Bekenntnis zur Entwicklung Unterfeld Süd.

November 2020
Zurich Airport: New hangar for business aviation

For business aviation, Zurich Airport is planning a new hangar in the far west, near Rümlang. The airport expects costs of 50 million francs. A hangar is planned in which the machines will be serviced and parked, a terminal for passengers with security and customs controls as well as office space. Flughafen Zürich AG has therefore submitted an application for planning permission to the Federal Department for the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication (DETEC) for the "Zone West, building construction including apron and development" project, Flughafen Zürich AG writes in a press release. The planned building has an area of 80 x 280 meters and a maximum height of 30 meters. Business aviation is still located at the General Aviation Center in the east on the airport grounds. This location is to be relocated in the long term for other buildings such as a new freight facility. In the vicinity of the future new hangar, new stands are also to be created. For this reason, the spotter hill and the heligrill, which are popular with flight fans, have to give way. However, there will be a new spotter spot, says a spokeswoman for Zurich Airport AG. The start of construction of the new hangar has not yet been determined. ■

October 2020
Another skyscraper characterizes Zurich Oerlikon

The foundation stone for the project was laid in 2014 with a multi-stage general planning competition. Armon Semadeni Architects, Zurich emerged as the winner. SBB is investing around 96 million francs in the Franklinturm at Zurich Oerlikon station. The almost eighty meter high new building will have 14,800 square meters of office space on 21 floors and shops and restaurants on the ground floor on 200 square meters. In addition, a bicycle ramp will be integrated into the Franklinturm, which will connect Hofwiesenstrasse with the Velostation Passage Oerlikon. The sales and catering areas on the ground floor will be marketed in 2021. With the project, SBB wants to further improve the quality of work and life in Zurich Oerlikon. The building, together with the Andreasturm, will have a significant impact on the cityscape in north Zurich, emphasize those responsible for the project. As with previous SBB buildings, the Franklinturm will also be realized according to the "DGNB / SGNI Platinum" standard of the Swiss Society for Sustainable Real Estate Management. The system evaluates the ecological, economic, socio-cultural and functional qualities of a building. ■

October 2020
Imomi lanciert Plattform für privaten Immobilienverkauf

Ab sofort offeriert die digitale Plattform imomi.ch Immobilienbesitzerinnen und -besitzern die Möglichkeit, ihr Objekt selbständig und ohne Makler zu verkaufen. „Die Digitalisierung hat bereits viele Bereiche unseres Lebens vereinfacht. Nun wird es Zeit, die generell träge Immobilienbranche zu revolutionieren“, wird CEO und Mitgründer Nicholas J. Arthur in einer Medienmitteilung des Basler Start-ups Imomi zitiert.

Oft fehle es an Erfahrung und Zeit, sich selbst um den Verkauf zu kümmern. So sähen sich Verkaufswillige häufig gezwungen, Maklerkommissionen bis 3 Prozent in Kauf zu nehmen, heisst es dort weiter. Bei der Eigenvermarktung über imomi.ch zahle der Kunde erst bei erfolgreichem Abschluss 0,9 Prozent des Verkaufspreises.

Für die sichere und effiziente Abwicklung des Verkaufsprozesses bietet Imomi eine unabhängige und kostenlose Schätzung des Werts einer Immobilie und eine professionelle Dokumentation. Diese beinhaltet das Erstellen eines virtuellen Hauses mit 3D-Rundgängen sowie professionelle Fotos und Drohnenaufnahmen. Eine entsprechende Annonce wird schweizweit in die relevantesten Immobilienplattformen eingestellt. Die Sicherheit eines professionellen Vertragswerks sei durch fachkundige Notare gewährt.

October 2020
Development of the area of the former canton hospital

The area to be built is only a few minutes' walk from Zug's old town and has excellent development potential, writes the building construction department of the canton of Zug in a message. There is a legally valid development plan for the area. This includes various construction areas with public uses, gastronomy and hotel uses, apartments and old-age living. In a two-stage competition process, a suitable team of investors, operators and planners is to be evaluated in order to find a competitive building lease offer and the best development concept for the area.
Submit a binding offer
In the current phase 1b “shortlist”, the teams selected from phase 1a “prequalification” would be given the opportunity to deepen their proposals and submit a binding offer for building permits. After the legally binding construction contract and the development agreement between the canton and the investor of the winning concept have been concluded, the latter will take responsibility for the implementation of stage 2 «architectural competition / study contract». In doing so, the project is to be evaluated, which is able to implement the framework conditions of the development plan as well as the selected development concept from the 1st stage, writes the building department. ■
Contact
Construction Department of the Canton of Zug
Building Department
Telephone +41 (0) 41 728 54 00
Info.hba@zg.ch
www.zg.ch/hochbauamt

October 2020
E-buses connect Zurich's ETH locations

The transport company Eurobus , based in Bassersdorf ZH, is now using three fully electric articulated buses from Mercedes-Benz . The vehicles from the eCitaro G model series, which were presented just a few weeks ago, are used on the so-called ETH link between the two locations of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. They are the first to run in regular service.

The 18.13 meter long, fully electric articulated buses run 100 percent on green Swiss water. Their capacity is 38 seated, 93 standing and two wheelchair places. They also offer public WiFi, USB charging sockets and air conditioning. With immediate effect, they will replace the previous diesel-powered shuttle buses between the center of Zurich and Hönggerberg. They fill up with new electricity at the Hönggerberg stop.

“In addition to their environmental friendliness, the new electric buses are characterized above all by their quiet driving style, comfortable low-floor entry and attractive interior and exterior design,” said the managing director of Eurobus welti-furrer AG, Patrick Nussbaumer, in a media release from Daimler. "With this, the ETH is sending a clear signal and strengthening its position as a future-oriented educational institute."

Armin Krieg, Head of Sales for City Buses at the Winterthur Daimler subsidiary EvoBus (Schweiz) AG , is satisfied “that with the introduction of the eCitaro G we are consistently continuing our announced timetable for e-mobility in city buses and Daimler Buses is the innovation and technology leader in the epicenter of technical and scientific research and teaching, of all places. "

October 2020
The federal government supports renovations in non-profit housing construction

The non-profit housing developers in Switzerland have a portfolio of almost 170,000 apartments, the Federal Council informed in a message . Many of these apartments, which are mainly located in cities and agglomerations, are more than 30 years old and no longer meet today's energy requirements. A special federal program is intended to motivate non-profit housing developers to renovate their buildings sustainably.

The program drawn up by the Federal Council provides for loans of up to CHF 50,000 per apartment to be renovated. With a term of 25 years, no interest is charged for the first ten years. The prerequisite is that the renovation work improves the condition of the building envelope to level B of the building energy certificate of the cantons ( GEAK ) or meets the Minergie standard.

A similar program for rural areas is being launched by the Foundation for the Promotion of Home Ownership ( SFWE ), the Federal Council informs in the announcement. Here you can apply for CHF 90,000 per apartment for a maximum of three apartments. Applications for both programs can be submitted to the umbrella organizations for non-profit housing construction or the SFWE by mid-October 2023.

October 2020
Gotthard wind farm is officially inaugurated

The Parco eolico del San Gottardo has been officially inaugurated on the Gotthard Pass. It is currently the only wind farm under construction in Switzerland. It will start its regular operation in November. According to a press release by the operator Azienda Elettrica Ticinese ( AET ), “numerous restoration and soil remediation measures” are planned for the coming summer months.

State Councilor Claudio Zali, Director of the Territorial Department, Airolo's Mayor Franco Pedrini, the General Director of Services Industriels de Genève ( SIG ), Christian Brunier, and the Director of AET, Roberto Pronini, symbolically put the plant into operation. There were also representatives from companies and institutions involved in the project.

The summer months of the past two years were used for the construction phase. Commissioning was planned as early as autumn 2009. However, according to an article in the “Luzerner Zeitung”, those responsible at the time “admitted that they underestimated the effort involved in the project”. As a justification, the then Chairman of the Board of Directors cited Switzerland's lack of experience with wind farms.

There are now five instead of the originally planned seven wind turbines on the Gotthard Pass. They were supplied by the German company Enercon . The annual production of these generators of 2.35 megawatts each is estimated at between 16 and 20 gigawatt hours, according to the announcement. They can cover the electricity demand in the Leventina valley between the south portals of the Gotthard tunnel near Airolo to Biasca.

The investment of 32 million francs was supported by the shareholders of the Gotthard wind farm: AET holds 70 percent, SIG 25 percent and the municipality of Airolo 5 percent. The system receives subsidies from the fund for the cost ceiling feed-in remuneration ( KEV ) for renewable energies for 20 years. This is a federal instrument to promote renewable energies. It is financed by a consumer levy on the electricity price.

October 2020
Commercial real estate is likely to become cheaper

KPMG 's Swiss Real Estate Sentiment Index is an indicator of expected developments in the real estate investment market. Last year the index reached an all-time high. This year it has fallen to its lowest level since measurements began in 2012. According to a statement from the consulting company, it is -13.1 points.

Market participants' assessment of economic development contributes 20 percent to the overall index. The corresponding value fell by 60.9 points to -73.8 points. The second component is the expectation of price developments. After 43.5 points in the previous year, the value here is just above the stability axis at 2.1 points.

In the case of residential real estate, price expectations remain positive and are close to the 2015 high. Contrary to expectations, actors in the real estate investment market are also not assuming falling prices for real estate in peripheral locations. However, the prices of commercial real estate are likely to fall. A total of 76 percent of those surveyed assume that the demand for office space in the extended business belt will decrease as a result of the Corona crisis. Sales areas are also likely to be used far less in the future. The respondents see less need for shopping centers in particular. However, experts see more demand for real estate in the healthcare sector and for logistics space.

The results show that the Corona year has clouded the mood on the real estate investment market. "Because of the expected effects on future demand, the market participants also see opportunities that new user segments will move into the investment focus," Beat Seger, partner and real estate expert at KPMG, is quoted as saying. In addition, residential real estate would contribute to the stability of the asset class.

October 2020
Implenia is building a large development near Geneva

A new urban center is to be built around the Lancy-Pont-Rouge train station. Implenia has already constructed three buildings here as a general contractor for Swiss Prime Site , the construction and real estate company from Dietlikon informs in a message . Implenia is now to build another building for the Solothurn real estate company. The order has a volume of around 132 million francs.

Specifically, Implenia has been awarded the contract for the Alto Pont-Rouge development. It is designed as a 15-storey building plus three underground parking levels with a total floor space of 35,000 square meters. The areas are mainly intended for offices, while smaller areas are to be used as grocery stores and restaurants. The core of the building complex is a central atrium with glass facades.

The development will "meet the highest sustainability standards and be certified at least in accordance with SNBS Gold," explains Implenia in the press release. The start of construction work is scheduled for this November, and the work should be completed in June 2023. For Jens Vollmar, Head Division Buildings, the new order "came about on the basis of a long-term and trusting relationship between Swiss Prime Site and Implenia".

October 2020
Bellinzona gets innovative quarters

In Bellinzona, a new model district will be built right in the center. From the five proposals submitted, a jury of experts from the city has now decided on the Porta del Ticino (Gateway to Ticino) project. It pays a lot of attention to the topics of sustainability, intergenerationality and slow mobility. In particular, an innovation park is planned there, writes the city in a media release .

In addition, living space for 2500 people is planned, writes the Ticino newspaper “La Regione”. The urban development project described by the city in its communication as "epochal" and "profound" has now been presented to the public by the partners Bellinzona, SBB and Canton Ticino. All designs are on display in Piazza del Sole until November 7th.

The project convinced with "its courageous urban development and landscape design approach to leave the central area of the area undeveloped in order to provide the entire population with free green space and to open up the new district as a natural and attractive addition to the city", it says on the part of the city.

The 120,000 square meter area that is intended for the new quarter is currently still occupied by the historic SBB workshops. Once they have been relocated, they will start operating in Arbedo-Castione in 2026. Then the realization of the model quarter should be tackled. The vision for this should become reality in 20 years at the earliest, reports the online newspaper ticinonews.ch. Further development steps are planned in 30 and 40 years.

As a video of the development project published on YouTube shows, the district is to be built around the 101-year-old so-called cathedral, the listed heart of the SBB workshops. 500 old and new locomotives are serviced there every year to this day. It is considered to be one of the most important industrial buildings in Ticino.

This urban development project was developed by a team made up of sa_partners from Zurich, TAM associati from Venice and the Milanese landscape architect Franco Giorgetta.

Susanne Zenker, member of the management board of SSB Immobilien , reminded “La Regione” that the workshops were “always closed to the outside”. In the future, however, this area will “open up to its population and become an attractive space. With regard to the rapprochement between private and public actors, which is particularly targeted in the technological area, the new area will be “a calling card for the Bellinzona of the future”.

October 2020
Clean charging current can also cost a little more

The research and development department of Juice Technology AG in Cham has published a current study on charging behavior and energy use in e-cars. A survey of 5154 e-car drivers was supposed to clarify how the behavior at the charging station is and what role the origin of the charging current plays.

Almost 50 percent of the kilometers driven are charged at home, according to the press release , and around 22 percent at work. Only 17 percent of the charging processes are carried out at so-called super chargers or quick charging stations. For 85 percent of e-car drivers, the use of clean energy is very important or important, according to the report in the study.

They also asked about their willingness to pay a higher amount for clean energy that would be produced in real time. 87 percent answered “yes”. There were differences in the amount: 60 percent would pay up to 4.89 cents per kilowatt hour more, 27 percent up to 3.01 cents per kilowatt hour.

The survey took place online from October 12-14, 2020 in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. A total of 5154 people were interviewed. The response was 576 responses, of which 82 percent came from Germany, 12 percent from Switzerland and 6 percent from Austria.

October 2020
Switzerland has the best energy system

Taking into account the three criteria of energy security, equity and ecological sustainability, Switzerland has the most exemplary energy system in the world. As in the previous year, it thus achieved the top spot. That comes from the World Energy Trilemma Index 2020 of the World Energy Council. He created this together with the global strategy consulting firm Oliver Wyman .

As the World Energy Council writes in a press release , this index analyzes historical trends. They are designed to enable energy policy makers and stakeholders to track their performance over time and compare it with others.

Above all, its high share of hydropower gives Switzerland the top spot in this ranking of a total of 130 countries. It is also in the top 10 for affordability. This is thanks to the overall high level of prosperity. Only when it comes to security of supply does the country not make it into the top ten. The Swiss energy mix is not diversified enough for that. Canada holds this top position, followed by Finland and Romania. All three countries have large hydropower resources and invest heavily in solar and wind energy.

The three countries with the biggest leap up in the overall rating are Cambodia, Myanmar and Kenya. This is primarily due to their performance in providing universal access to energy. This criterion, which the World Energy Council calls energy justice, has seen the most significant improvements since 2000, especially in developing countries.

Instruments such as the World Energy Trilemma Index are more important than ever, according to the Secretary General of the World Energy Council, Dr. Angela Wilkinson: "The index enables individual countries to learn from each other what works and what doesn't when connecting the dots between people, planet and prosperity."

One thing is certain, says François Austin, Partner and Global Head of Energy at Oliver Wyman: "The top performing nations achieve their energy goals by balancing politics, entrepreneurship, national resource use and changes in individual behavior with environmental issues." Giving political decision-makers and business leaders the direction for shaping the future of energy ”.

October 2020
Zug is the most attractive canton for companies

The major bank Credit Suisse has published its location quality indicator for this year. This measures the attractiveness of the cantons from the point of view of companies. The canton of Zug moved up to first place this year and was able to overtake the canton of Basel-Stadt. Credit Suisse explains this with the reduction in corporate income taxes that came into effect at the beginning of 2020. The effective maximum corporate income tax rate in Zug is now 11.91 percent – in the previous year it was 14.35 percent.

Behind Zug and Basel-Stadt, the canton of Zurich follows in the ranking, followed by the canton of Geneva, which has moved up ten places. The fifth place is occupied by the canton of Aargau, the sixth by the canton of Schwyz.

In addition to the tax policy of the cantons, Credit Suisse also includes the availability of highly qualified and skilled workers in its analysis. According to the economists of the big bank, the level of education of the Swiss workforce has risen sharply in recent decades. However, there is a gap between urban and rural areas when it comes to the availability of highly qualified workers. In urban regions as well as in the closer agglomeration areas, over 40 percent of potential employees have a higher education. In the city of Zurich this proportion is even 57 percent.

Credit Suisse not only scrutinized the cantons, but also economic regions. This is because she is of the opinion that consideration at the canton level falls short of the mark, especially in larger, heterogeneous cantons. According to the results, metropolitan areas such as Zurich, Zug, Basel, Baden and Geneva and their agglomerations are among the most attractive regions for companies.

October 2020
Coronavirus: Federal Council presents a monitoring report on the business rents situation
The report Monitoring commercial rents comes to the following results:
- Based on a structural analysis by Wüest Partner, there are around 390,000 business leases in Switzerland with a rental volume of an estimated two billion francs per month. Around CHF 900 million of this is for office space, CHF 500 million for trade and industry, CHF 400 million for retail space and CHF 200 million for hotel and restaurant use. In addition to the 390,000 leases, around 60 percent of the companies run their business in their own property. During the period of maximum restrictions between March 17 and April 26, 2020, around 113,000 tenancies were affected by the closings by the Federal Council. The cumulative rent of the commercial properties affected by closings amounts to 530 million francs per month. This corresponds to 27 percent of the rental volume.
- A representative survey by gfs.bern came to the conclusion that the proportion of tenants who have difficulties paying their rent in connection with the mandatory closings has risen from 6 to 33 percent in the weeks of the lockdown. This is particularly true of western Switzerland and Ticino. The survey also showed that the majority of tenants (around 60%) sought relief solutions – and the majority have found them. Agreements were reached far more often than disagreements; for the tenant side the ratio of agreements to non-agreements is 3 to 2, for the landlord 9 to 1. The vast majority of the agreements came before the parliamentary decisions of June 2020. In almost three out of four cases, the agreements involved rent reductions.
- The economic development so far points to a rapid and strong economic recovery. The number of company bankruptcies and the number of new requests in the statistics of the arbitration authorities are currently within the usual range or below the previous year's level.
- An international comparison shows that most European countries – like Switzerland – rely on support measures to secure the liquidity of the businesses affected by closings. There were seldom interventions in terms of tenancy law, and if so, it was an extension of payment or notice periods. There are no statutory rent reductions in the eleven European countries examined.
On the basis of these results, the Federal Council comes to the conclusion that there is currently little evidence of comprehensive and area-wide difficulties in the area of commercial rents. However, this does not rule out the possibility that there may be unsatisfactory constellations in individual cases. Depending on how the pandemic develops, the situation can quickly worsen.
For this reason, the Federal Council is currently refraining from taking any measures (e.g. in the legislative area). However, it instructs the Federal Housing Office to continue the commercial rents working group and to discuss any support in the area of advice and information with the cantons. Because experience has shown that regional solutions are best suited to the local situation.
October 2020
The population of Freiburg wants wind farms

The population of Freiburg is behind the cantonal wind power projects. This is shown by a survey that MIS Trend carried out on behalf of Groupe E in September. According to a statement from the cantonal energy supplier, 72 percent are in favor of building wind farms in the canton. 65 percent also have no concerns about the installation of the systems.

Groupe E wants to set up wind farms at four locations. These locations are entered in the canton's structure plan, which has already been approved by the federal government. The four wind farms should allow an additional electricity production of 156 gigawatt hours of electricity per year. Two thirds of electricity production should occur in winter, when photovoltaics are less productive. Compensation measures for the benefit of biodiversity are planned for the projects.

October 2020
Green asphalt permanently removes CO2 from the air

In Dornbirn, as part of the expansion of the district heating network, new asphalt is being laid on a stretch of road. So-called green asphalt is used for the first time. 1.7 percent charcoal from the production of theEnergieWerk Ilg is added to the asphalt. This allows the carbon contained in the charcoal to be stored and the CO2 formed with it to be permanently removed from the atmosphere. The company is thus improving its carbon footprint.

A first test mixture was installed on September 24th, according to a message from EnergieWerk Ilg. If this mixture meets expectations, a test section of 30 meters is to be laid on October 14th and 15th.

If the pilot project in the state of Vorarlberg is successful, roads can become new CO2 sinks. Asphalt can contain around 5 percent of such additives on average. This means that 100,000 tons of asphalt could soon permanently remove well over 10,000 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.

The pilot project is supported by a number of partners. The asphalt is manufactured by Migu Asphalt in Lustenau, which intends to use it to introduce a new product and strengthen its market position. The technology for producing the charcoal comes from the Syncraft company in Schwaz in the state of Tyrol. EnergieWerk Ilg, which supplies the admixture, has already been climate-neutral and can become climate-positive with this product. The city of Dornbirn is profiling itself as a model region for the energy transition .

Hans-Peter Schmidt from the Ithaka Institute in Arbaz VS advises the project. Carbonfuture GmbH in Freiburg i.Br. certifies carbon storage. This means that certificates for the removal of carbon from the atmosphere can be issued and the green asphalt can be co-financed.

The project was initiated by the European Biochar Industry ( EBI ) consortium. EBI wants to create and establish new, verifiable and certifiable CO2 sinks with charcoal and biochar.

October 2020
Coop delivers with hydrogen trucks

In future, Coop will increasingly supply its sales outlets with hydrogen trucks. According to a media release on Wednesday, the food cooperative put one of the world's first mass-produced fuel cell electric trucks into operation. A total of seven of these will be in use by the end of the year. Because there are no other emissions besides water vapor, Coop is assuming potential savings of 80 tonnes of CO2 per truck per year. In addition, Coop is establishing additional hydrogen filling stations in Switzerland.

As the message goes on to say, Coop is working together with the Swiss company H2 Energy AG and the Hyundai Motor Company . Hyundai is considered a world leader in the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology. The performance, refueling time and range of their hydrogen trucks are comparable to those of conventional trucks.

Coop has set itself the goal of being CO2-neutral in the relevant areas of the company by 2023. This is why the food wholesaler and retailer is doing “pioneering work” for electromobility with green hydrogen. In 2018, the H2 Mobility Switzerland association was founded on the initiative of Coop. It includes seven large operators of petrol stations and truck fleets.

"The H2 Mobility Switzerland association promotes clean, CO2-free motorized individual traffic in Switzerland and implements the technology of hydrogen mobility in road traffic on a private basis," says Jörg Ackermann, member of the Coop management and president of the association. The aim of the association is to create a nationwide network of hydrogen filling stations throughout Switzerland by 2023.

October 2020
Sustainable fuel is created from greenhouse gases

Scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich ( ETH ) are working on more sustainable fuels and plastics. To do this, they have developed a new type of catalyst. According to a press release , this catalyst could replace fossil hydrocarbons with more climate-friendly alternatives. A corresponding study has now been published in the journal "Nature Communications".

This new catalyst developed by the research team led by ETH professor Christoph Müller and study author Alexey Fedorov enables the conversion of CO2 and methane into synthesis gas many times more efficiently than previous catalyst materials. Synthesis gas is an important raw material for the chemical industry. Liquid fuels can be produced from this, as can basic chemicals for the production of plastics.

What is new about this catalyst is that it consists of extremely thin metal oxide carbides. Unlike conventional catalysts made from metal carbides, they do not oxidize when they come into contact with CO2. This means that the ETH catalyst retains its reactivity, says Christoph Müller, Professor of Energy Science and Energy Technology in the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering .

Since the CO2 can be extracted from the atmosphere and only the methane comes from fossil deposits that are millions of years old, such synthetic fuels and chemicals have a smaller carbon footprint than fossil fuels.

The new reaction accelerator could possibly also replace expensive noble metal catalysts. Although there is still a long way to go before industrial application, the team hopes, according to Fedorov, “that our new catalyst material will be an attractive option for the production of synthesis gas”.

October 2020
Blackstone Resources secures CHF 30 million

Blackstone Resources AG will receive equity capital of 30 million francs from Luxembourg- based GEM Global Yield LLC SCS . As the Zug-based battery manufacturer, owner of metal refineries and raw materials trader , announced that it has signed a three-year equity commitment with GEM.

This funding will accelerate Blackstone's development of a commercially printed battery for mass production, according to the media release. In addition, the holding company wants to acquire important systems and equipment and expand investments in battery metals.

"Blackstone represents the technology of the next generation of printed 3D batteries with solid-state electrolyte and their mass production," said CEO Ulrich Ernst. "This capital increase puts us on the way to realizing our vision of a leading battery producer in order to produce batteries with higher density." Their more environmentally friendly production should succeed at costs below the current market price.

As part of this agreement, Blackstone will issue 2.5 million bonds (warrants) with an exercise price of CHF 3.00. A capital increase will be carried out in due course.

Blackstone Resources invests in and claims to develop primarily mining projects with strong future potential that focus on battery metals. The company has taken strategic stakes in mining companies that ethically seek, develop and mine these battery metals in politically safe countries. In addition, it started trading in raw materials.

October 2020
Building technology management day takes place in Baden

This year's building technology management day will take place on November 10th in the transformer hall in Baden . In addition to the lectures and the panel discussion by experts, following the joint invitation from energie-cluster.ch and pro clima, it is intended to offer the opportunity for personal networking or to establish or intensify contacts . After many events were canceled due to the Covid pandemic, direct trade between the industry is important, pro clima President Timo Alber is quoted in the invitation.

The topic of the event is: How can companies establish themselves, distinguish themselves and, if necessary, benefit from them in individual cases? The focus should be on the management of the company and in the company. After the welcome coffee at 8.30 a.m. and the introduction by Timo Alber, André Lüthi, CEO of Globetrotter Group AG, will hold the introductory speech on the topic: Entrepreneurship as a driver of innovation and success. Which skills are particularly in demand in times of crisis?

Other speakers include Carl Elsener, CEO Victorinox AG, and Robert Weinert, Head of Real Estate Monitoring at Wüest Partner AG in Zurich, as well as Norman Alexander, expert on reading and people influence, and Eva Jaisli, CEO and co-owner of PB Schweizer Tools AG. Participating in the lunchtime discussion are: National Councilor Jürg Grossen and Daniel Huser, suissetec Central President and owner of Huser Gebäudetechnik AG. Also Marco Waldhauser from the engineering office Waldhauser + Hermann AG and Norbert Rücker. The economist is Head of Economics & Next Generation Research at Julius Baer.

The final lecture on “Teambuilding – Leadership – Mindset” will be given by the coach of the Swiss ice hockey team Patrick Fischer. The event ends at 4.30 p.m. with the closing speech by Timo Alber and the new head of energie-cluster.ch Christoph Röthlisberger.

October 2020
Elektro-Material AG puts Hedin Automotive in the right light

EM Licht, a division of Elektro-Material AG , was integrated into the planning of Hedin Automotive Saturdayern AG from the beginning with regard to the renovation and expansion of its buildings, as a media release shows. In this way, the lighting design could be incorporated directly into the building design. The newly developed lighting concept was not only implemented in the showroom, BMW M showroom and mini pavilion. The workshop or the wash bays have also been given new lighting.

In addition, new lighting was implemented for customer and outdoor parking spaces, and the petrol station and advertising lighting was refurbished. In the exhibition area, the task was to combine various requirements. There are certain requirements for BMW dealers regarding the lighting of the cars on display. However, the workplaces of the sales staff are also located in the exhibition area. EM Light has therefore mixed the light colors. And chessboard lighting has been installed for the showroom for the BMW M, which, together with the logo of the BMW M and the cars on display, creates a stylish ambience, as the message says.

October 2020
Target group-oriented planning and marketing made easy

Most location promoters and real estate experts have probably heard of the Sinus-Milieus ®: Based on more than 30 years of social science research, they group people who are similar in their outlook and way of life into ten different milieus. Fundamental value orientations are included in the analysis as well as everyday attitudes towards work, family, leisure time, money and consumption. The Sinus-Milieus ® offer the user information and decision-making aids by providing the “central theme” for product development, strategy, positioning, communication, advertising and media planning as well as CRM.
Practical preparation
Up to now, the Sinus-Milieus ®, which have also been specifically researched for Switzerland since 2007, have only been of limited use for location and economic development as well as for the real estate industry, as housing needs have largely not been taken into account. That is now changing: For the new "Sinus-Milieus ® Living and Living Worlds Switzerland" offer, additional criteria such as demands on architecture, interior fittings and the location of the primary residence were analyzed and evaluated. Areas such as architecture, furnishings, communication and neighborhood behavior as well as decision-making and financing aspects are presented in a practical manner and applicable in day-to-day business for every milieu. The texts, tables and graphics are supplemented with meaningful photos of people, architecture and interior design. The offer is therefore a credible and very easy to use basis for numerous questions about the development and planning of locations, areas or quarters as well as for the planning, product development and positioning of real estate.
The «sinusoidal
Milieus ® Living and Living Worlds Switzerland »for example …
… in the real estate market (e.g. location and market analyzes, infrastructure planning, district planning)
… in urban planning (e.g. development areas, neighborhood development)
… in product development (e.g.
Architecture, living space, equipment, parking spaces)
… in the price mix and financing (e.g. rent and property price ranges)
… in social behavior and leisure activities (e.g. neighborhood, service offers)
… in communication and marketing (e.g. brand building and positioning, … marketing measures)
11 brochures and an online tool
"Sinus-Milieus ® Living and Living Worlds Switzerland", published by acasa Immobilien-Marketing GmbH and SVIT Switzerland, comprises the two modules Milieus Basis (printed work) and
Milieus Analyzer (online tool). Milieus Basis offers in-depth information on each of the ten Sinus-Milieus ® in a separate booklet as well as a booklet with basic information and explanations. The Milieus Analyzer is a password-protected online analysis tool with which users can identify suitable milieus for real estate projects, for example, with just a few clicks. Milieus Basis and Milieus Analyzer form a unit and are only offered as a package. The printed work (Milieus Basis) comprises a total of 256 pages in 11 notebooks in A4 format across in a cardboard folder. The package with the printed work and access to the online tool costs CHF 580 (SVIT members 10% discount).
Micro-geographic evaluations
Which milieus live in a certain place in Switzerland? Does my real estate project suit the location? Is my target group represented at a certain location? The Sinus Geo Milieus ® provide answers to these and other questions – the ideal extension and specification of the "Sinus-Milieus ® Living and Living Worlds Switzerland". Sinus Geo Milieus ® provides graphically prepared information and detailed data on the occurrence and distribution of the individual milieus and purchasing power classes for every postal code in Switzerland. ■
Swiss Association for Location Management SVSM

October 2020
IT companies in St.Gallen join forces

The young company emonitor , which is active in the field of real estate technology, has brought its melon rental software into a collaboration with Abacus , as stated in a message from emonitor. On behalf of the City of St.Gallen Pension Fund , melon has been connected to the AbaImmo property management software from Abacus. This now creates software for reporting in the area of apartment rentals.

On the one hand, software is available for a continuous letting process, from the first contact with a prospective tenant through to ancillary costs settlement. And on the other hand, thanks to the collaboration between emonitor from St.Gallen and Abacus Research from Wittenbach, reports can be created that provide real-time information on vacancies, for example.

The City of St.Gallen Pension Fund is currently in a digitization process and would like to be a pioneer in turning interested parties into tenants even more easily, as the message says. "We are pleased that together with emonitor and Abacus we can implement our ideas of future-oriented leasing and management," Gerardo Longo from the Pension Fund Stadt St.Gallen is quoted in the announcement. "In addition to creating an overall process, we also benefit from the simple acquisition of demand and analysis data, with the help of which we will, for example, be able to better plan our projects and avoid vacancies."

October 2020
Eniwa receives the Aargauer Strom Award 2020

The Association of Aargau Electricity Suppliers has presented this year's Aargauer Strom Award. It went to Eniwa AG for their Unterentfelden project Im Erlifeld: the future area . The prize is awarded every two years to honor particularly innovative projects by Aargau electricity suppliers.

As stated in a press release from swisspower , Eniwa AG's energy concept for this quarter convinced the jury. The area with nine new multi-family houses and its 90 apartments is largely self-sufficient. The residents benefited in many ways, according to the jurors: from environmentally friendly electricity at attractive prices, charging options for electric vehicles, e-car sharing, transparent and simple billing and ultra-fast broadband internet.

Due to the corona, the award ceremony took place "in a slightly different form" in the ELFA hall in Aarau.

October 2020
Berner Kantonalbank joins Swiss Immo Lab

The Zurich-based investment company Swiss Immo Lab AG is to invest in proptech or fintech start-ups that contribute to the digitization of the construction and real estate industry. The investment company was founded at the end of 2019 by real estate service provider Avobis , Hypothekarbank Lenzburg and Gebäudeversicherung Bern . The Berner Kantonalbank ( BEKB ) is now joining Swiss Immo Lab as the fourth partner, the BEKB informs in a message .

The partners want to hold the Swiss Immo Lab AG in equal shares, is further explained in the announcement. The four companies invested a total of 8 million francs in the investment company. Within two years, they are to be invested in start-ups that are active in the markets for digital marketplaces, real estate management, construction, building materials, analysis software and intelligent cities, writes the BEKB.

"With this platform we want to accelerate innovation in construction and real estate", Armin Brun, CEO of BEKB, is quoted in the press release. This year, Swiss Immo Lab has already participated in the developer of software for real estate analysis, Archilyse, and the Lausanne-based manufacturer of solar modules, Insolight.

October 2020
Romande Energie buys in Valais

Romande Energie is increasing its presence in Valais. As announced by the Vaudois energy supplier, it is taking over Toutelec SA in Monthey. The installer of power lines and telephone systems, founded in 1990, is not only represented at its headquarters but also with branches in Troistorrents and Vouvry in Lower Valais and in Ollon VD.

Toutelec is now part of Romande Energie Services SA. The service subsidiary of Romande Energie is already represented in the cantons of Geneva and Friborg, in addition to Vaud, and plans to expand its range to the whole of western Switzerland. Alexandre Udry, who is responsible for the Valais at Romande Energie Services, is quoted as saying in the message that Toutelec is known for its expertise in the fields of power lines, telecommunications and security and is well anchored in the Lower Valais. "We look forward to being able to count on his professionalism in the future in order to strengthen our presence and our competencies in this area."

October 2020