immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Category: Global

  • MIPIM 2022: Between desire and reality

    MIPIM 2022: Between desire and reality

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    MIPIM 2022 took place from March 15th to 18th – and it was far from the industry euphoria of three years ago under the impression of a conflict almost 2,000 kilometers away. While the Ukraine was at least visually represented with a mostly deserted stand, there was hardly a trace of Russia or Russian cities. Only a few obvious gaps in the trade fair room allocation indicated that there had also been cancellations at short notice.

    Interest rates are rising again…
    The industry buzzwords ESG, impact investing and interest rates were also part of the discussions in many places. From the Federal Reserve Bank in the USA alone, further interest rate hikes are expected this year, which would result in key interest rates of just under two percent at the end of the year. The market assumes that other central banks (UK, EU, CH) will follow suit, albeit with a time lag. For Switzerland, this means that negative interest rates will soon be a thing of the past. In the case of ten-year federal bonds, a value of 0.425 percent was already reached on the Wednesday of the fair (March 16, 2022) – a level that was last recorded at the end of 2014.

    … and what next for decarbonization?
    The topic of sustainable or green investments was also represented in many MIPIM panels and discussions. But even if there are now many options for measuring sustainability as well as certificates and labels: the coming years will challenge the construction and real estate industry on many levels. On the side of the energy sources alone, the change away from fossil fuels to renewable ones has added another dimension with the Ukraine-Russia conflict. It is now time to reassess the oil and gas factors in the real estate industry’s decarbonization efforts. It remains to be seen whether this will ultimately lead to oil and gas heating systems being discarded sooner in this country.

    Farewell to old braids
    Other significant changes are also becoming apparent in the traditional asset classes. The traditional real estate classifications such as residential, office and retail are becoming more diverse. This has already been shown in recent years thanks to online shopping, coworking and coliving. The hospitality forum on the Thursday of the trade fair, for example, showed that there is also something new happening in the hotel industry. Swiss Life Asset Managers announced the new camping investment class there and is even considering launching its own fund product in this area. In general, it can be said that the star classifications are becoming less important for hotel users, with the focus increasingly being on the extraordinary experience, special locations and trips close to nature and the local people.

    Propel Awards for newcomers
    The four winners of the PropTech competition Propel were also chosen this year at the real estate fair in Cannes: From the 20 finalists, centralF (optimization tool for workplaces) in the data category, Apricot (leasing for homebuyers) in the investment category, OakTree Power ( Demand optimization for building energies) in the sustainability category and Parametric Solutions (software solution for project developments) in the user experience category. A Swiss proptech startup was not represented in the global competition.

    Swiss project wins MIPIM competition
    On the evening of the Thursday of the fair, however, there was an award for an outstanding Swiss construction project: the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet in Le Brassus received an award in the “Best Cultural and Sports Infrastructure” category. The museum extension designed by the Danish Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) includes a new glass structure that integrates into the landscape by means of two spiral structures. Inside, the museum offers a glimpse into the history of watchmaking in the Vallée de Joux.

    25th anniversary of Swiss exhibition stands
    The two Swiss networks Swiss Circle for German-speaking Switzerland and Horizon Léman for western Switzerland also had something to celebrate this year. The exhibition stand organizers and initiators Roman H. Bolliger and Yves de Coulon were delighted to receive congratulations and two “birthday cakes” from the MIPIM organizer RX on their 25th anniversary. The handover took place after the MIPIM event “Forum Suisse”, where Swiss industry players from Swiss Prime Site, Mobimo, M3 and Wüest Partner discussed the topic of “mobility and its consequences for the real estate industry”. In 2022, more than 50 companies from Switzerland used the two trade fair platforms Swiss Circle and Horizon Léman for international exchange on the Côte d’Azur.

  • Power Integrations opens new plant in Biel

    Power Integrations opens new plant in Biel

    Power Integrations , a company specializing in power electronics, has opened a new plant in Biel. This covers around 4600 square meters and also houses offices and laboratories. The Biel-based operation specializes in so-called gate drivers for high-power applications such as solar and wind energy, electric locomotives and efficient DC transmission lines. In addition to production, the location is also used for the development of prototypes. In total, around 60 engineers and other technology experts are employed.

    Power Integrations has reportedly invested around $20 million in the Biel site. The facility was planned and built by the Biel architects GLS Architekten . A photovoltaic system with an output of 25 kilowatts is located on the roof.

    Power Integrations’ presence in Switzerland dates back to the acquisition of Biel-based CT-Concept Technologie AG in 2012. Headquartered in San Jose, Power Integrations employs around 770 people worldwide.

    “We are excited to open our new, permanent headquarters in Biel, bringing together all of our local employees under one roof and giving us ample room for the growth we expect in the years to come,” said Balu Balakrishnan, CEO of Power Integrations , quoted in the communication.

    Biel’s Mayor Erich Fehr (SP) welcomes the investment. “The fact that such an innovative and fast-growing company has settled here speaks for the attractiveness of our city and our region as a business location,” he says.

  • Switzerland and UAE discuss city of the future

    Switzerland and UAE discuss city of the future

    On March 21 at the Expo in Dubai , the Swiss pavilion brought together experts from universities in Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates, private companies and public actors under the motto “Smart Connected Cities”. It is about intelligent solutions for the management of water, mobility and other challenges in cities that are becoming increasingly dense. Some of these projects have already been implemented in Switzerland and could be imitated in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region.

    The event was organized by the University of Applied Sciences in Western Switzerland ( HES-SO ). It is the Leading House MENA officially commissioned by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation . Its goal is to promote scientific cooperation between Switzerland and the countries of the MENA region.

    During implementation, the HES-SO worked together with Swissnex , the Swiss Embassy in the UAE and the Swiss Business Hub Middle East . “International cross-technology cooperation that offers networked solutions for the exponentially growing demand of a growing population and the associated densification of living spaces are the only way to master the challenges,” says Dante Larini, project manager of Swissnex in the Swiss pavilion, in a press release quoted. “The event showed us how much and how seamlessly technology can transform the way cities are managed and the daily lives of their residents.”

    Josef Spillner from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ( ZHAW ) gave a keynote speech on the opportunities and risks of cyber-physical spaces. The cooperation between the ZHAW and the private university of the Emirate of Sharjah ( Sharjah University ) was also presented at the event.

  • Swiss pavilion receives award

    Swiss pavilion receives award

    The Swiss Pavilion at Dubai Expo has won a gold medal. According to a press release , it was voted the best pavilion for medium-sized country presentations at the World Expo Awards organized by Exhibitor magazine.

    A central showpiece in the Swiss Pavilion is the artificially generated fog. The effect changes constantly for the visitor, so that at the end a Swiss mountain panorama becomes visible. The expert jury also voted the fog the third best staging element of the Expo in terms of theme and implementation.

    The Zurich scenography agency Bellprat Partner AG is behind the Swiss fog. According to the information, she worked on the development of the Swiss Pavilion for more than five years. She was also supported in the implementation by Zurich architects OOS and Lorenz Eugster ‘s office for landscape architecture, also in Zurich. The partners worked on behalf of Presence Switzerland .

    The Swiss pavilion was not only well received by the jury of the World Expo Awards. With a total of 1.5 million visitors so far, it is one of the five most popular buildings at the entire Expo. Overall, the world exhibition in Dubai has so far had over 19 million visitors. It runs until the end of March.

  • Implenia is building a climate change laboratory in Düsseldorf

    Implenia is building a climate change laboratory in Düsseldorf

    The construction services company Implenia has won the general contractor contract for the EUREF campus in Düsseldorf . According to the client EUREF AG , “a visible place of the future will be created as a real model on this innovation campus for the energy and mobility transition, which can be implemented in many major cities around the world”. EUREF has already set up a first campus of this kind in Berlin .

    The Düsseldorf campus will offer 3,500 employees from established companies, start-ups, science and research an inspiring environment on 105,000 square meters of gross floor space. In addition, it is to become part of a network of environmentally friendly energy producers and storage facilities in the region and meet all of the federal government’s CO2 climate protection targets for 2045 from the start. The project volume amounts to CHF 186 million.

    “Sustainability is one of Implenia’s five corporate values,” CEO André Wyss is quoted as saying in a press release . “We are therefore very pleased that we can build a research and development campus whose work focuses on sustainability and which is itself geared towards CO2-neutral operation.”

    According to Implenia, the schedule is “ambitious”: The first phase of construction should be completed and ready for occupancy by mid-2024. The second construction phase will run continuously with a time delay and will be completed by mid-2025. In order to be able to keep to this schedule, Implenia has been working with BIM (Building Information Modeling) right from the start, i.e. with digital modelling, combining and recording all relevant planning, construction and management data. In addition, a so-called lean cycle plan is used for execution.

  • UBS sells stake in real estate company in Japan

    UBS sells stake in real estate company in Japan

    UBS Asset Management and Mitsubishi Corporation have agreed to sell their Mitsubishi Corp.-UBS Realty Inc. (MC-UBSR) joint venture to American private equity firm KKR & Co. Inc. , UBS Group AG and UBS AG announce in a press release. The transaction, which is still subject to the approval of the relevant authorities, is expected to be completed in the coming month. The sale has “no impact on UBS’s asset management, wealth management and investment banking business in Japan,” explains the major Zurich bank.

    The sale marks the end of a 20-year success story for the joint venture. According to her, MC-UBSR has developed into one of Japan’s largest asset managers in the real estate sector. “We believe KKR is well positioned to continue to grow the business,” Suni Harford, President of UBS Asset Management, said in the statement. For UBS, the sale is expected to generate a gain in asset management and an increase in core capital (CET1) of around $0.9 billion.

    “The Japanese market remains a cornerstone of our Real Estate & Private Markets business in Asia Pacific going forward,” said Harford. Real estate investments in Japan are to be offered to clients through the UBS Japan Advisors unit.

  • Dutch central bank builds with new strength

    Dutch central bank builds with new strength

    The Dutch Central Bank uses CO2-neutral concrete in the renovation of its Amsterdam headquarters. This is made possible thanks to a collaboration between the Dutch New Horizon Urban Mining BV and the Swiss start-up neustark , according to a LinkedIn announcement .

    New Horizon’s technology makes it possible to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete by 75 percent, they say. For this, cement is obtained from concrete recycling material. The remaining footprint is offset by neustark. The start-up has developed a technology with which CO2 from the atmosphere can be permanently stored in recycled concrete. For this purpose, liquid CO2 is introduced into demolition material.

    Neustark is a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich ( ETH ) based in Bern. The company works with Holcim , among others, to drive innovation and sustainability in the construction sector. As part of the collaboration, neustark is investigating the CO2 conversion potential of Holcim’s recycled demolition concrete. Holcim, in turn, optimizes the concrete produced by neustark.

  • Strabag is an active partner on Engineers' Day

    Strabag is an active partner on Engineers' Day

    Strabag Switzerland will take an active part in the day of engineers and will present a pilot project in Küsnacht in an online lecture. According to the media release from the Schlierem construction company, the start is on Friday, March 4, at 11 a.m. The lecture goes until 12:15 p.m. and will be broadcast on the Internet via Microsoft Teams. On the Engineer’s Day website, access is possible by clicking on it without prior registration. The speakers are Stijepan Ljubicic, Technical Group Manager BIM, and Christian Häni, Technical Group Manager Traffic Routes Engineering at Strabag.

    BIM stands for Building Information Modeling and describes the model-based planning, implementation and operation of construction projects, with the aim of optimizing the transfer of knowledge, the quality of the results and the efficiency of all those involved, according to Strabag. On March 4th, Strabag will present its project for the renovation of the Schiedhaldensteig in Küsnacht in the live presentation. Strabag is the total contractor and is responsible for the planning and construction management as well as the execution – model-based using the BIM 5D program. In Küsnacht, the upper part of the Schiedhaldensteig was rehabilitated in a very narrow and steep traffic area and the sewage pipes were replaced. At the same time, the existing gas, water and electrical lines at the plants on Lake Zurich were renewed.

    Even before the actual Engineer’s Day, a networking event will take place on Thursday, February 17, at the JED in Schlieren. Zurich government councilor Carmen Walker Späh and Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin will be taking part. According to a press release from the Limmatstadt AG location promotion, a panel discussion will highlight the qualities and potential of engineers from various disciplines.

  • Sika wants to grow in Africa

    Sika wants to grow in Africa

    Sika is positioning itself for further dynamic growth in Tanzania and the Republic of Ivory Coast. The company has moved into a new location in the East African economic center of Dar es Salaam. There, the Zug-based company now also produces mortar and tile adhesive in addition to concrete additives. This shortens the transport routes, according to a press release from the company.

    In the Republic of Ivory Coast in the west of the continent, Sika has doubled the size of its factory premises. With new areas for storage, offices and laboratories in Abidjan, Sika can double the production capacities for tile adhesive and repair mortar in the medium term and expand storage capacities. The neighboring countries of Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Mali and Sierra Leone will also be supplied from there.

    Sika is committed to “sustainable business activities in Africa” in the long term, Regional Manager EMEA, Ivo Schädler, is quoted as saying. “At both locations, we produce high-quality solutions that are used for large infrastructure projects.” As examples, he cites the metro project and the expansion of the seaport in Abidjan, the Standard Gauge Railway and the Julius Nyerere hydroelectric power station in Tanzania.

  • AFIAA Anlagestiftung erwirbt Büro- und Geschäftshaus in Lissabon

    AFIAA Anlagestiftung erwirbt Büro- und Geschäftshaus in Lissabon

    Das zwölfgeschossige Gebäude mit rund 9600 Quadratmetern Gesamtmietfläche wurde im Jahr 1969 erbaut und 2018/2019 umfassend modernisiert. Es hat ein «Energy Performance Certificate» der Stufe A, was der zweitbesten Klassifizierung entspricht. Der Standort zeichnet sich durch seine repräsentative Lage im Prime-CBD von Lissabon sowie durch eine hervorragende Verkehrsanbindung aus. Die Flächen sind derzeit zu 98 Prozent vermietet, überwiegend an das Versicherungsunternehmen Generali Seguros Portugal. Die Immobilie ist für das Portfolio AFIAA Global bestimmt. Es handelt sich um das zweite Investment von AFIAA in der portugiesischen Hauptstadt.


    «Wir haben uns aufgrund des langfristigen Mietvertrages mit einem bonitätsstarken Hauptmieter und der hohen Bauqualität für den Ankauf entschieden. Die im betreffenden Teilmarkt herrschende Flächenknappheit lässt zudem eine hohe Wertstabilität und mittel- bis langfristiges Wertsteigerungspotenzial erwarten. Für Lissabon sprechen das im Vergleich mit anderen europäischen Core-Märkten attraktive Rendite-Risiko-Verhältnis, positive wirtschaftliche Aussichten und eine bemerkenswerte Resilienz. Selbst während der Corona-Pandemie gab es hier eine stabile Nachfrage nach Büroflächen», sagt Sebastian Feix, Head of Transactions von AFIAA.


    AFIAA wurde bei der Transaktion von Cushman & Wakefield sowie rechtlich von Morais Leitão beraten.

  • Brivo integrates alarm management from Sitasys

    Brivo integrates alarm management from Sitasys

    Brivo, Inc. from the US state of Maryland has entered into a partnership with Sitasys AG from Solothurn. The North American inventor of cloud-based access control and the so-called Smart Spaces technology integrates the cloud-based alarm management evalink talos from Sitasys into its platform. This integration is available on evalink marketplace .

    “For customers who value central monitoring, we are pleased about the partnership with Sitasys AG’s evalink technology,” said Brivo founder and CEO Steve Van Till in a press release . This would allow security professionals to manage access, alarms and video surveillance more easily and save time, “without sacrificing performance”.

    The Brivo integration combines alarm centers, tracking systems, cameras and access control in a unified security platform called Brivo Access. It uses analytics, business intelligence, and machine learning “to generate actionable insights from big data.”

    “We are convinced that the integration of Brivo with our evalink technology will strengthen our overall offering and create added value for our joint customers,” says Peter Monte, CEO and founder of Sitasys AG. “The integration of cloud systems makes it easier for users to work in different tools within one platform and thus more efficiently.”

  • Wüest Partner Germany: Establishment of an ESG team

    Wüest Partner Germany: Establishment of an ESG team

    “I am pleased to be able to support Wüest Partner even more intensively from now on,” says Gerhard Hoffmann, the new Director ESG and Sustainability at Wüest Partner Germany . Reconciling ecology and economy using state-of-the-art technologies has always been the primary goal of his work. At Wüest Partner he has the best prerequisites for this. “Now the task is to form an interdisciplinary and highly motivated team of experienced experts.” Above all, in order to strategically and operationally advance the increasingly important topics on the German market, says Hoffmann.

    Many years of expertise in the sustainability segment
     For more than four decades he has been dedicated to his mission of reducing CO2 emissions by developing sustainable energy concepts in the real estate industry. The graduate engineer and graduate industrial engineer is involved in numerous international research and development projects with a focus on regenerative energy supply. He has developed energy concepts for over 900 buildings and worked on more than 1,400 sustainability projects. The licensed BREEAM auditor sits on the working groups of the ZIA Central Real Estate Committee . He is also a member and senior auditor of the DGNB German Sustainable Building Council .

    «Ideal cast for a highly complex market»
    As an independent consultant, Hoffmann has already successfully accompanied the implementation of the Wüest Climate Tool on the German market. In doing so, he “significantly shaped an important milestone in the company’s history,” writes the company. The new position is the logical continuation of a successful collaboration, says Rüdiger Hornung , partner and managing director of Wüest Partner. This is “the decisive step on the way to a sustainable future in the real estate industry”. Hoffmann is the “ideal person to promote sustainability and energy efficiency in our highly complex market, both professionally and personally”.

    Swiss group represented in four countries
    Wüest Partner (founded in 1985), headquartered in Switzerland, currently has eleven locations in four European countries. The Swiss office locations are in Zurich (headquarters), Bern, Geneva and Lugano. In Germany (market entry: 2007) the group has branches in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt/Main, Hamburg and Munich. There are other locations in Paris and Lisbon. The group also owns the two subsidiaries Datahouse and Durable , each with 100 percent ownership.

  • Linking EuroAirport to the district heating network is progressing

    Linking EuroAirport to the district heating network is progressing

    The expansion of the heating network to the planned connection of the EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is progressing. The construction company SMCE forage et tunnel based in Sierentz has drilled two 90 meter long tunnels under the A35 motorway in Alsace, according to a press release from Primeo Energie from Münchenstein. The pipes that will transport the heat to the airport in the future will then be laid in the tunnels.

    The heat comes from the biomass power plant in the Alsatian town of Saint-Louis. It is operated by the energy company R-CUE , a subsidiary of the energy supplier Primeo Energie. So far, R-CUE has been supplying the equivalent of 5,000 households with heat via the existing district heating network of 12.3 kilometers and producing electricity at the same time.

    With the EuroAirport, a large heat consumer is added. The airport alone has a heating energy requirement of 3000 apartments. Its connection to the network “will reduce the consumption of fossil fuels by 90 percent” and thus decarbonize its energy mix. At the same time, the connection saves on heating costs, according to the press release.

    Other urban and commercial areas are later to be connected to the district heating network in the Saint-Louis metropolitan area, including the Saint-Louis hypercentre, the centre, south and north zones, the Lys development zone (ZAC) and the Technoport. In total, the network is to grow to a length of 30 kilometers.

    By 2030, up to 68 gigawatt hours of additional heat are to be distributed each year. This corresponds to 10,000 households and requires the construction of a new biomass heating plant, the press release continues. The expansion of the Saint-Louis heating network was decided at the end of 2020.

  • New parcel logistics should relieve cities

    New parcel logistics should relieve cities

    A new pilot project by the Swiss innovation agency Innosuisse is testing an alternative distribution system for parcel shipments in Zurich. It is intended to reduce delivery traffic in cities. A media release from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ( ZHAW ) quoted the Federal Office for Spatial Development, according to which the volume of parcels will increase by 75 percent by 2040 due to the growing online trade and the freight traffic will increase by 37 percent as a result.

    The ZHAW Institute for Sustainable Development in Winterthur is leading this project. Companies such as H&M , Zalando and Ikea are involved. In addition to the city of Zurich, the project partners are also Swiss Post , DPD and Cargo Sous Terrain . The desired solution provides for the interaction of three distribution centers, so-called hubs. The project also aims to provide cities with assessment criteria that they can use to find suitable locations.

    “Today every truck drives through town once and distributes the goods. With a hub in the city center, from which the fine distribution takes place, you can bundle much better, ”Maike Scherrer from the ZHAW is quoted as saying. A digital backbone based on artificial intelligence is to organize the shipment allocation to different means of transport in such a way that as few transport kilometers as possible are driven. Free transport capacities can be auctioned online. It is important that the distance to the home address is short so that the parcel recipients can walk to the Microhub as much as possible.

  • Implenia is building district heating tunnels in Hamburg

    Implenia is building district heating tunnels in Hamburg

    Implenia will build a 1.2 kilometer long tunnel for Wärme Hamburg , the construction and real estate company from Opfikon informs in a press release . The tunnel is to connect the north of Hamburg to a new heating network. To do this, it will cross under the Elbe around 2 kilometers west of the Elbe tunnel for the motorway.

    The work is divided into two phases, with the planning phase starting in October. Implenia has now received the order for further planning and construction work from the beginning of 2022, according to the announcement. The total order volume there is estimated at around 75 million francs.

    The work should be completed by the first quarter of 2025. To this end, Implenia will first create diaphragm walls for the start and finish shafts with a depth of up to 42 meters. A tunnel measuring 1.16 kilometers long and around 4.5 meters in diameter is then to be drilled between them and lined with precast concrete elements. Implenia is also responsible for planning and installing the operating technology for the district heating pipeline.

    "We are very pleased that we are able to create this large and complex infrastructure project for our customer Wärme Hamburg", Erwin Scherer, Head of Tunneling at Implenia, is quoted in the press release. "The fact that we are making a contribution to improving the sustainability of heat generation gives us additional motivation, because sustainability is an Implenia corporate value that we will also live by in this project."

  • Sika opens technology center in India

    Sika opens technology center in India

    Sika AG , headquartered in Baar, has opened a new facility in India. In the industrial city of Pune in the state of Maharashtra, the specialty chemicals manufacturer is developing and producing adhesives and sealants for the Indian market in a new technology center and production facility, according to a media release .

    The 8-million city of Pune is a leading industrial center, in particular due to its established automobile manufacturers and suppliers. The new Sika location with laboratories for development and a factory for production is conveniently located in terms of traffic in order to be able to supply customers quickly, according to the press release.

    “The expansion of our own production facilities as well as our on-site research and development facilities promotes the development of our local know-how and brings enormous advantages to our customers. Customer-specific solutions can be developed, produced and delivered within a very short time. In this way we are laying the basis for Sika's long-term growth and further development in this important market, "said Morten Muschak, Corporate Target Market Manager Industry at Sika, in the press release.

    Sika AG wants to benefit from economic growth, increasing urbanization and a favorable investment policy in India. The country is currently home to the fifth largest automobile market in the world. According to forecasts, the construction industry will grow by an average of 6.5 percent per year by 2030. The vehicle industry is expected to grow by more than 10 percent per year, according to the press release.

  • Holcim sells stores in Brazil

    Holcim sells stores in Brazil

    Holcim is selling its businesses in Brazil. As announced by the company, the company is valued at $ 1.025 billion. It comprises five cement plants, four grinding plants, six plants for aggregates and 19 ready-mixed concrete plants. The buyer is the Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional. "This sale is a further step in our transformation into the world's leading provider of innovative and sustainable building solutions," Holcim CEO Jan Jenisch is quoted as saying. "It gives us the flexibility to invest in attractive growth opportunities."

    With this sale, the company's balance sheet will be strengthened and the level of indebtedness will be significantly reduced, according to Holcim. It took place as part of an optimization of the portfolio. The proceeds will be used for investments in the Solutions & Products division. This builds on the acquisition of Firestone Building Products , an American manufacturer of flat roof systems, at the beginning of January. This transaction was valued at $ 3.4 billion. As a first step, Holcim introduced the Firestone GacoFlex line for waterproofing roofs in Mexico.

    Despite the sale of the Brazilian business, Latin America remains a key strategic growth region for Holcim. The group recently invested in an additional clinker plant in Malagueño, Argentina, and in a new grinding plant in Yucatán, Mexico. In addition, the expansion of the company's own retail network in Disensa is ongoing.

  • Implenia sells building construction business in Austria

    Implenia sells building construction business in Austria

    Implenia intends to sell its building construction business in Austria to Zech Bau Austria GmbH , the construction and real estate company from Dietlikon informs in a message . The sale should be completed by the end of October. The two partners have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

    "We are pleased to have found a strategically suitable owner for our building construction activities in Zech Group, who will implement a sustainable growth strategy together with our employees in Austria," explains Jens Vollmar, Head of the Buildings Division at Implenia, in the press release. Implenia intends to take responsibility for completing projects that are already under construction.

    The sale of the building construction business in Austria is part of Implenia's strategy of concentrating on the company's core portfolio. The group wants to "focus on integrated construction and real estate services in Switzerland and Germany as well as tunnel construction and related infrastructure projects in other markets", it says in the announcement. At the end of 2020, Implenia had already sold Tüchler Aufbau GmbH in Austria. The company for interior and dry construction was taken over by HK-A Aufbau Holding GmbH.

  • Foreign real estate is becoming more attractive

    Foreign real estate is becoming more attractive

    The majority of the companies active in the real estate market did not allow their risk behavior to be adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, writes EY Switzerland in a report on the current “ Asset Management Survey ”. For the study, EY Switzerland and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts examined the activities of 52 Swiss real estate investors and pension funds. According to the results, most of the respondents intend to continue investing in domestic and increasingly also in foreign real estate in the future.

    "The pandemic has hardly any noticeable impact on the general demand from investors for real estate investments that remain without alternative in the low interest rate environment and especially in uncertain times," Karl Frank Meinzer, Head of Real Estate at EY Switzerland, is quoted in the press release. According to Casper Studer, however, the focus of investments has shifted to more pandemic-resistant properties. "This is particularly true of properties that are used for living and logistics," explains the real estate expert at EY Switzerland. According to the surveys of the analysts, around seven out of ten respondents also play a medium to large role in investment decisions.

    The concentration on residential and logistics real estate goes hand in hand with the increasing attractiveness of foreign real estate. More than six out of ten companies surveyed are planning to increase investments in foreign residential real estate; the figure for domestic residential real estate is 51 percent, according to the press release. 46 percent are interested in logistics properties abroad, and a third of those surveyed want to invest more in domestic logistics properties. On the other hand, 36 and 27 percent of those surveyed want to reduce their portfolio of retail properties in Germany and abroad.

  • Kompotoi feels the spring

    Kompotoi feels the spring

    With spring comes the need for toilets in public spaces again. Kompotoi , the Zurich-based provider of composting toilets, has been back in the city of Zurich with over 20 of its toilets since last Monday in March. You can find them on the Saffainstel near Landiwiese, on Bullingerplatz and in Hohensteinpark on the Uetliberg, as the company reports.

    Kompotoi is also continuing its expansion into Germany this year. After the company delivered its toilet houses in Germany from Darmstadt, this year it is also represented in Munich. In Switzerland, Kompotoi supplies not only from Zurich, but also from Basel, Bern, Freiburg, Graubünden, Lausanne, Martigny and St.Gallen, and now also from Wohlen BE.

    Kompotoi toilets process the human legacy into a soil conditioner without using chemicals or flushing. They are handcrafted in Switzerland. Kompotoi sells and rents out the facilities.

  • Implenia is building tunnels in Norway

    Implenia is building tunnels in Norway

    The entire Fornebubanen project includes the construction of a railway line from the Fornebu peninsula to connect to the Oslo subway. The construction work that began in December last year is expected to be completed in 2027. Under the project Fornebubanen has Implenia commissioned with the planning and construction of a tunnel for a distance of 2.3 kilometers, the construction and real estate company informed of Dietlikon in a release . The contract volume is stated there at 1.2 billion Norwegian kroner or the equivalent of 131 million francs.

    Audun Aaland, Head of Tunneling and Country President Norway at Implenia, is quoted in the press release as quoted in the press release. In addition to the construction of the tunnel and its cross sections, Implenia will also build excavation pits and rock shafts for the Flytårnet and Fornebuporten stations.

    "Those companies that invest the most in alternative fuel technologies and contribute to the electrification of machines and systems performed best in this competition," explains Grete Tvedt, project manager at Fornebubanen, in the press release. "The focus on sustainability seems to produce good solutions, not only in terms of environmental and climate protection, but also for the entire project."

    The contract is to be signed after a ten-day objection period has expired. Construction work is scheduled to start in May of this year.

  • 14Trees is building schools in Africa with 3D printing

    14Trees is building schools in Africa with 3D printing

    14Trees is using 3D printing on a large scale to build affordable residential and school buildings in Africa. Starting in Malawi, such buildings should be realized in record time in this way. The walls of the first school in Salima were printed in just 18 hours, according to a media release . In addition, the CO2 footprint is reduced by up to 70 percent through “optimized use of materials”.

    14Trees is a joint venture between the building materials group LafargeHolcim and the London-based impact investor CDC Group . "I am thrilled with the work our joint venture 14 Trees is doing," said Miljan Gutovic, Head of the Middle East and Africa region and member of the LafargeHolcim Executive Committee, quoted in the press release. "Starting in Malawi, we will use the technology throughout the region and already have projects in the pipeline for Kenya and Zimbabwe."

    Tenbite Ermias, Managing Director Africa of CDC, is convinced that “the broad application of the groundbreaking cutting-edge technology” of 14Trees enables “enormous development effects”. "This is a wonderful example of our investments in companies that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals."

    As the message goes on to say, UNICEF estimates that Malawi is short of 36,000 classrooms. With conventional technology, this would take 70 years. According to 14Trees, this gap could be closed in ten years with 3D printing. In addition, the local projects would create qualified jobs.

  • Virtual real estate fair Home-E-Fair starts

    Virtual real estate fair Home-E-Fair starts

    The idea for the Home-E-Fair was born out of necessity, according to a media release. Because the real estate trade fair season has so far completely fallen into the water due to the Covid 19 crisis. Georges Luks, CEO and Delegate of the Board of Directors of Zurich Sotheby's International Realty , explains how the idea came about to replace trade fairs with a physical presence with a virtual one: “In the home office, it became clear to us that such a trade fair could actually be virtual without any problems can take place. With Crowdhouse we were able to set up this pilot project in a short time. We believe that this model will also be relevant in the future and are motivated to set up further virtual trade fairs on an even larger scale. "

    At the five-day virtual trade fair from July 22nd, interested parties can log into the trade fair platform from home, study real estate offers, and exchange ideas with consultants via live or video chat. In addition, as at every real estate fair, a number of roundtables and lectures are offered.

    At the fair, the partners Zurich Sotheby's International Realty and Crowdhouse complement each other in real estate, from condominiums to multi-family houses, in which Crowdhouse specializes. Ardian Gjeloshi, founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Crowdhouse: "Both Zurich Sotheby's International Realty and Crowdhouse speak to the same target group – but from different perspectives: living and investing."